Fire and Ice
by temporaryinsanity91
Summary: Kim and Ron meet, trapped in an avalanche. An alternate ending to the original tragedy, "Cold" T for language.
1. Prologue

**okay, so this is the long promised alternate ending of "Cold", the AU tragedy i wrote. a lot of this will be the same, but there will be some other added in sections, so... enjoy the story. this time it sort of has a happy ending. well not really. this is the first in a series of three stories. so. here it goes: the untitled alternate to cold, part one. without further ado...**

* * *

**Prologue**

"Thank you, Dr. Possible."

I smile and shake hands with my patients, seeing them out of my office and sit back down at my desk, smiling, rather involuntarily, at the family portrait on my desk. My sons' mischievous smiles exactly match their father's. Kimmie's red hair is overshadowed by her radiant smile. Her green eyes are just like her Nana Possible's eyes.

"Dr. Possible? You have a call on line 2. It's the Park Ranger."

Park Ranger? I hurriedly pick up the phone. Why would a park ranger call me? They handle the wilderness, the forests, and the... mountains. Oh God, Kimmie! "Dr. Possible speaking."

"Dr. Possible, we've been unable to reach your husband for some time. We're calling about your daughter, Kim, she is here at Middleton Ski and Resort for the weekend with her classmates."

I try to control my breathing, and I can barely hear over the blood rushing in my ears.

"We're sorry to inform you, but the resort has been evacuated because of an avalanche. It seems that your daughter and one other classmate were on the mountain when the avalanche occurred. Search and rescue—"

The phone slips from my hand.

**-kp-**

It's so cold. She isn't moving anymore. Her breath comes in sighs of pain, and her eyes are closed. There's a tiny wrinkle between her perfect eyebrows that is slowly smoothing out as she fades away. I can't feel my fingers or my feet anymore. A brief look at them says that they are dark blue from the cold.

It's so cold. The darkness is getting deeper and deeper. I can't see her very well anymore. The rise and fall of her chest was barely visible anyway. I uselessly check my phone with shivering, numb fingers to see if it works. It's been dead for hours. Not that it matters, there's not really any service out here. I knew that but I did it anyway. I needed to at least pretend to not be useless... I hate the cold.

It's so cold. Her body is icy. Her lips are blue. I move closer to her and lay down beside her. I don't know if I can save her. But I love her, and I'll die trying to protect her.

From the cold.


	2. Chapter 1

"Who wants to do the black diamond trail with me?" grinned an excited redhead.

"You're such a show off, Kim." Bonnie Rockwaller rolled her eyes and turned away.

"I'm not a show off." Kim Possible tied her flaming hair in a knot at the base of her neck and sighed. "Come on! Anyone?" the rest of the sophomore class of Middleton Academy for Gifted Children, or MAGIC, was too busy either drinking hot chocolate, or tubing or otherwise enjoying the less dangerous slopes.

"I'll go with you."

She turned toward the voice, excited, only to find the class jerk, Eric. They dated last year... that didn't end well. Her smile fell off her face and her expressive green eyes hardened as she flipped him off. "Dream on."

Eric rolled his eyes. "Possible, why are you like that with me?"

"Because you're a hurtful manwhore jerk who's brain needs more neurons and less ego. Excuse me, asshole," she seethed, shoving past him and inside.

"Kim, wait!" he hurried after her.

"Go away, Eric."

"Kim can we please just talk?"

"I hate you, leave me alone."

"God, you're... stubborn as hell!"

"Don't get me started, Eric," she growled, turning to glare at him. "I have no qualms about humiliating you here, not after the way _you _humiliated _me_."

"Kim, you're seriously still pissed about that?! That was last year!"

"Yeah and you haven't changed a bit!" she cried, causing silence to fall in the lodge. "You're still an arrogant douchebag that uses pretty girls for sex! I _won't_ be used by you, Eric! Quit pining over me! It's over! You are never going to _tap _this, and it's your own fault for fucking some skank in the school parking lot while you were _in love_ with me! Go screw with someone else's head, okay?" She turned to the stunned audience. "Ladies, now that I have your attention, listen up! If you've dated, kissed, slept with, or had any romantic contact with Eric Fletcher, you might have any number of STDs and maybe even mono! Get yourselves tested immediately!"

Some girls looked rather frightened (including Bonnie, who's face was priceless) and some other girls laughed at Eric. Most of the guys just 'ooooohhhhed' at him.

Eric's mouth gaped. "K-Kim, I—"

"Save it for someone who cares!" She said to him with a glower before stomping away.

"Girl, that boy wishes he never got caught—"

"Don't mention it, Moni," Kim cut off the part African-American, part French girl named Monique. They became best friends when they met at Club Banana. They both wanted a shirt, but it was the last one in stock. Later on they started hanging out every day and Monique got into MAGIC. Kim learned that her new friend had designed for famous red carpet designers by age ten, and guided her through some rough times in order to get in. The girls always went shopping together and Monique generously designed dresses for winter fling and every other dance since sixth grade. They became fast friends.

"Sorry, Kim."

"He's such a jerk! I wonder why I never saw it before."

"It don't matter now, I s'pose. Did ya find anybody to go with ya?"

"No," the flame-haired girl answered glumly. "I guess I'll go by myself."

"Fuck nah, gf. You goin' with somebody else or you ain't goin' at all. You seen the horror stories."

"I've done worse trails with two or three guys chasing me... or ten..."

"Yeah, don't even get me started on those missions that you do, girl. Have you ever thought about getting someone to go with you?"

"No one would be able to keep up with me," she snarked, glaring around the room. "Nobody even wants to."

They eventually reached a table where the rest of Kim's friends were: Bonnie, who's only exceptional talents in Kim's opinion were being a bitch and maxing out a credit card; Tara, the surprisingly dim-witted blonde with exceptional physical ability; Marcella, the Latina with an attitude and a secret obsession with cyber-robotics; Paige, the raven-haired girl that never spoke but knew seven different languages by age nine; Zita, the Latina girl with short, razor-cut hair that knew everything ever about computer programming and gaming... she and Wade constantly battling each other over who was the better hacker; and Lilith, the gothic girl with one of the most exceptional talents for drawing, painting, and sculpting Kim had ever seen. All of these girls had helped her on one mission or another before, and most of them respected and admired Kim. All except Lilith were cheerleaders. Marcella, Bonnie, and Tara had some idiotic obsession with appearances and the 'food chain' and probably only hung out with Kim because all of Middleton hailed her as a hero.

Kim, aside from an exceptional physical agility that had her already as Cheer Captain for MAGIC (even though she was only a sophomore), Kim was a superb investigator, with problem solving skills to rival anyone's. She also had a 177 IQ. She used her unique (and maybe not as cool) talents to aid local and federal law enforcements everywhere in anything from criminal apprehension to search and rescue and disaster relief operations around the world. After saving the Mayor's daughter from some extremist party and heading up rescue operations after a tornado hit, saving countless lives with her agility, efficiency, and ability to lead, all of Middleton literally bowed and kissed her feet... at least, that's how Bonnie's little posse perceived it.

The girls got to talking about fashion, makeup, and other things that girls talk about. All the while, Kim was still searching out someone to do a difficult trail with her, if only once. She loved Moni and Lilith to death but dear God, those girls could not ski or snow board to save their lives, so she spent most of the day tubing and drinking hot chocolate with them and Zita and Paige. Bonnie and company stayed the majority of the day in the hot tub and tanning rooms. Typical.

She tuned back in the conversation as Lilith rolled her pale blue eyes which were lined with dark black makeup. Her lips, painted deep red today rather than the normal black, were set in a sneer. "You guys are fucking boring."

"And you need therapy," countered Bonnie. "God knows what you do to yourself when nobody's looking... although I'm sure the God-awful makeup is a good indication. Seriously, those creepy people are always, like, cutting themselves and stuff."

"I'm gothic, not emo, Bonnie. If you're going to be a self-absorbed discriminating bitch, at least get your facts straight. Emo people self-mutilate." She stood. "Who's up for tubing?"

Kim raised an eyebrow and Bonnie huffed and stomped away, muttering about tanning. Her posse followed her.

Paige stood too. "They're all going to get wrinkly and cancerous from all the tanning they've done this weekend."

"I know right?" Lilith rolled her eyes again. "Let's just do this."

Kim looked around again. "No one is up to any real skiing," she sighed petulantly.

"You mean no one wants any broken limbs at the end of this trip, Possible. It's easier to keep up with the Kardashians. Are you coming or not?"

Kim sighed before following along. Hopefully over the next three days, _someone_ would go up to the top of the mountain with her.

* * *

The next morning, Kim put on her gear and snuck out of her room before the rest of the girls woke up. It was about seven in the morning and the sun was barely beginning to lighten the sky.

She went down to the breakfast bar and filled her huge thermos of with hot coffee and started toward the mountain. The cold air felt good on her face.

"Hey! Hey, wait up!"

_Who could he be talking to?_ She wondered, not recognizing the voice. She realized it belonged to a boy about her age with messy blonde hair and snowboarding gear that was running towards her. "Hey," he huffed, putting his hands on his knees when he reached her so that he could catch his breath.

"Hi," she said, trying to hide her amusement at the puffing stranger.

"You... where are you... where... are … you going?"

"I'm skiing," she laughed. "You?"

He straightened and grinned. "Wherever you go. Lead on, o Fearless Leader... Leaderess? Or Leaderette? In Hebrew... and Spanish, feminine forms end in 'ah' most of the time, so maybe Leaderah?"

She laughed again. "Kim is just fine."

"Oh I know your name," he smirked. "Who in Middleton doesn't know Kim Possible when they see her? You're like a celebrity."

She shrugged, looking away to hide her mild embarrassment. "It's, uh... it's no big."

They started up the mountain together, armed with their gear, snacks, and very large thermoses of coffee.

"So... what's your name?"

"Less famous, but equally awesome, Ron Stoppable at your service." He held out his hand.

She giggled as she shook it. "Pleased to meet you."

"So besides skiing and saving the world with your badical skills, what else do you do?"

She grinned. "It's a long list, are you ready?"

"Why is it so long?"

"Well when you're in the saving the world business you tend to do a lot of things that you wouldn't normally do. I've done everything from modeling to fly a space craft."

His jaw dropped. "Thats, uh... a bit intimidating. How about the more normal stuff?"

"I know sixteen different styles of kung fu. I play soccer, basketball, softball, lacrosse, volleyball, tennis... you name it I've done it. I do gymnastics, obviously, and wind surfing, snowboarding, swimming, water skiing, skateboarding and in-line skating. Ice skating, rock climbing... and I've dabbled in some driving stunts or racing and such... but I don't like doing that unless I have to."

"You're really hard core."

"As if," she dismissed his comment with a wave and a smile. "I still get upset when my nails chip."

He laughed. "Do you ever have time for yourself with all that stuff?"

She smiled at him, leaving him slightly dazzled. "I have plenty of time for myself. I just fill it doing things that I love."

He regarded her in silence for a long moment. "I've never heard it put that way before. I like that."

They helped each other up the steep slopes of the mountain, leaving most of civilization behind. Ron paused after a few hours. "Wait. Is this even an official trail for this resort?"

She grinned, looking a bit like a red-haired Cheshire cat. "No. but I've skied and snowboarded all over this mountain. I owed them a favor... who do you think swung the location for the vacation? And who do you think scouts the trails?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You?"

She curtseyed. "In the flesh. Are you coming or not? We're almost there."

"If you say so."

"You're surprisingly relaxed about this," she said with amusement. "If I were to spring this on Moni or Lilith, they'd rip my head off."

"I've done snowboarding for some time... I think I can pull this off. If I cant, well then you have to escape so you can tell them where to find my body. Holy shit, we're jumping off of _this_?!" His eyes widened comically at the drop before him.

She shrugged. "It's just like jumping off a lift. Maybe a bit higher up though. You'll be fine. Are you coming or not?"

"Alright, alright. How long does it take to get back down?"

"Up here it's actually really steep. This will take about half-hour maybe? Just keep your knees bent and enjoy the speed, 'kay? And don't fall."

"Gee, thanks."

She chuckled gleefully. "The rest of the ride levels out a bit, and that will take a while longer."

"What a work out," Ron grimaced.

"It'll fly by. I promise."

Ron took a calming breath and then made his way to the edge of the rock where they were standing. He strapped into his snowboard. Then he leaped into the emptiness in front of him. Kim followed.

* * *

The ride down was great. She was right about enjoying the speed, it was exhilarating. Then the mountain had leveled out like she said it would, and they rode along in enjoyable silence until Kim's cell phone started to ring. At least, Ron _thought_ it was a cell phone. It actually was some sort of video-chatting device.

"Wade! Hey, what's sitchin' today?"

"Kim where the hell have you been?!"

"On the slopes. Why?"

"Because everyone in the resort is looking for you and someone else from your class. They think you're lost." he glared. "By slopes, you mean the ones _marked_ by the resort?"

She flushed and gave the boy in the video-chat a sheepish grin. "Tell them we're fine, and we're on our way."

"I'm pissed at you, Kim. You need to let me know when you're sneaking off like that. I don't appreciate being woken up by GJ demanding to know where Carmen San Diego is."

"Carmen San Diego is a villain, and she's not half as cool as I am."

"You know what I mean. Get down there!"

She shut the device off with a groan. "My parents are going to kill me. I wasn't supposed to be doing this on this trip. I mean, I told my mom, but she was pissed. If she finds out I didn't tell anyone—"

"What is that thing?"

"Oh, it's just my Kimmunicator. K-I-M-Municator. Wade named it after me. It's got full video chatting capability and a host of other things. Infrared scanning... stuff I need on the, uh, job."

"Job? So they pay you?"

"It's not really a job... I mean yes I get paid...sometimes. it's more like freelance."

"You freelance for Global Justice." The statement was more like a question.

"No, I volunteer for whoever needs my help. If they wanna pay me, I don't usually say no. I do have a shopping habit to maintain," she ended ruefully.

"So when do you say no?"

"Disaster relief and search and rescue." She smirked. "Bad guys usually come with a reward, so I normally donate half and keep half of whatever the reward is. The most I've gotten paid in any crime-foiling job is ten thousand dollars. It would have been fifty, but the town suffered some pretty major damage and I ended up giving away most of it and spending the other ten grand on some other things the people needed." She smiled sadly, slowing to a stop and leaning on a tree. "A little girl lost her family in that sitch. She was badly injured and there was no one to pay for her health care. I pulled some strings, and now she's a ward of our state, instead of her own country. Little kids there end up in..._sub par..._ orphanages, and I didn't want her to end up in a place like that. I put the ten grand down towards her stay in the hospital and another five grand to the family that took her in. The rest I donated to the people that were doing the reconstructions and supplying the food and water and stuff. I ended up with six hundred bucks for my flight home."

"You're very generous." His voice was quiet and full of awe. "I don't know anyone in the world, myself included, that would give away hard earned money like that."

"She reminded me of someone I love very much." She stared at her hands for a moment before turning and continuing down the mountain with a whoosh.

Ron stared after her in bewilderment for a moment before following. "Hey, wait up!"

She was still quiet when he caught up to her. He realized that she had cried at least a little and her cheeks were red from the sting of the tears drying on her skin in the cold.

"Are you okay?"

She stopped again, turning to him with a self-depreciating chuckle. "I just met you, and I'm telling you all this stuff."

He shrugged. It was just fine by him. It was the first time since the day he first saw her that he actually got close enough to talk to her. He would hear anything she had to say.

She wrung her hands. "I had a little cousin... her name was Jailyn. She uh... she died of Leukemia when I was in eighth grade. She was three. I used to babysit her all the time. She was really beautiful." she drew a shaky breath, and Ron reached out to brush her tear from her cheek. She smiled. "Thank you," she whispered. "The girl, I met her because one of the guys I was fighting, his lab exploded and it caused a landslide. It wiped out a town and the hospital where she was... she had cancer." Tears filled her green eyes. "She passed away last year, too. From the cancer. I uh... I used some reward money from my current case, at that time, I mean, to fund the funeral myself."

"I'm very sorry for your loss. Both of them."

She smiled sadly again. "There are things that even I can't prevent. There are people I won't be able to save. That kind of grief is part of my life now. Come on, they are waiting for us."

Just then, a God-almighty roar startled Ron and he looked behind him.

Kim grabbed his arm. "We can't outrun it, we can't out-ski or board it. Ditch the board, or it'll shred your legs." He hurried and did as he was told. They ran as fast as they could, jumping off an eight foot ledge just in time to avoid the wall of snow that was chasing them.

* * *

Ron opened his eyes and looked around for her. "Kim?" he croaked. The whimper he heard in response had him fully alert. "Kim, where are you? How bad are you hurt?"

"Unh," came the anguished moan. He couldn't see anything except white. Everywhere he looked there was whiteness and coldness. He focused and tried to look around. He seemed to have made it to the ground and as close to the eight-foot ledge as he could before the avalanche hit. Kim was bringing up the rear... she might not have been so lucky.

He had to find her. Crawling along the narrow tunnel that the snow formed, barely the size of those sky-tubes in JP Bearymore's Pizza Party-torium, he made his way toward where he thought the sound had come from.

"Kim!" he yelled again, more desperately. "Kim please talk to me"

"Ron," her voice answered, pain ringing in it. "I'm... I'm hurt bad."

"How bad, Kim?"

"Left leg... arm... I think I crashed into... maybe a tree?"

"Keep talking, sweetheart, I'm coming to find you."

"Hurts to talk."

He spotted her just then. She was laying on her back, her legs buried under the massive wall of snow.

He tried to pull her out of it but she screamed in pain. "I'm sorry," she whimpered. "My hip, I think my hip is broken."

"Well I can't just leave you half buried," he snapped back, his tone somewhere between exasperation and panic.

Her jaw set, and her green eyes hardened. "Fine, pull me out. I can deal."

"But you..."

"I like my legs, Stoppable!" she spit through gritted teeth. "Pull me out, I can handle it."

He pulled for almost ten minutes. Their bodies were sweaty from the exertion and Kim's lip was raw from her biting it. When he finally got her out, he put her as close to the stone ledge as possible. She let out a shaky breath of relief.

Gently, he checked her. Her left leg was in bad condition. It was fractured in several places besides her hip. Her left arm was equally destroyed and her shoulder was dislocated. He got his back pack and pulled out a dry hoodie. "I'm going to take off your coat and stuff since they are wet. Do you have like under-armor or something?"

She nodded, gritting her teeth. "Okay I'm going to leave you with this and your under-armor okay?"

The process of taking her clothes off was not only painful for her, but uncomfortable for him. He marveled at how tiny and fit her body was, and then he remembered that he was supposed to be helping her, not checking her out. It got awkward quickly...

A small part of him admired how toned she was from all her... _exercise_. The rest of him worried that there wasn't an ounce of fat anywhere on her hundred-ten-pound body to keep her warm. There was no way she would survive if hypothermia set in and help didn't come. Her body was so delicate, so small.

He'd seen the books and the movies. They had to stay dry and they had to stay awake... no matter what. Good thing that neither he nor Kim had started on their enormous thermoses of coffee. He poured her some and brought it to her lips and she gratefully savored the warm fluid.

"Kim? You've got to stay awake, okay?"

She nodded. She knew this too. "Talk to me," she implored. "I've told you about me already. What do you do in your free time?"

"Mostly read... play video games. The usual." He brought the fluid to her lips again and she sipped it before speaking.

"You're supposed to talk," she chuckled. The action was painful for her.

"I um... my life isn't as interesting as yours."

"I don't think so. Your life might be just as interesting... just less action."

"I suppose that's true... unless _Bricks of Fury_ counts as action."

She scoffed. "No way. Those movies are lame."

"Lame?! They are the epitome of action and entertainment!"

She laughed, then winced. Her chest was radiating pain, and she knew she had at least one broken rib. "You're such a guy." She smiled up at him. "Any siblings?"

He smiled brightly. "A sister. My parents were on vacation this summer... they visited an orphanage in Japan. They adopted a little girl. Her name is Hana. She's... the best sibling anyone could ask for."

"That's really sweet."

"Yeah. That's why... I mean what you were talking about earlier... it made me really sad. I can't imagine losing our little Hana that way."

She stared at her hands. "Like I said. I can't save everyone from everything. It was a lesson I had to learn the very hard way."

He brightened. "She's so sweet. She's still a baby, only six months old. And she's got the cutest cheeks." He smiled as he reminisced about his baby sister.

"I have two brothers. They are twins, their names are Jim and Tim."

He raised an eyebrow. "_The_ Jim and Tim? The ones that blew up the chem lab to bail their friend out of detention?"

She laughed for a long time. "They blow up everything! Ugh just yesterday they got grounded because they stole my alarm clock and parts from my dad's lab to make a rocket... which failed miserably and crashed into my neighbor's house. Then I was late to school _and_ I had a test _and _they stuck me with clean up duty!"

"Sounds like your brothers keep you and your family on your toes huh?"

"You have no idea," she chuckled.

Minutes became hours. Ron did his best to huddle close to her without hurting her, that way they could both stay warm. But they started shivering, and soon nothing they did could keep them warm.

Kim looked up at him with an unreadable expression. "We're... we might not make it out of this."

He gulped. He tucked her hair behind her ear with trembling hands. "They'll come for you, I know it."

She reached up with her good arm, squeezing his hand. "I'm not so sure."

"Stop," he begged, his throat constricting. "We can make it through this, okay? Just keep talking."

She gave him a watery smile. "Okay."


	3. Chapter 2

**Okay. since this story remains untitled-and since my beta and I discussed a title, and came up with stuff i wasn't really satisfied with, you guys are going to help me name my story. there's a poll on my profile, and you can choose one of the options listed there, or suggest your own for me to add to the poll in a PM or review. i will reveal the winner when the last chapter of part one is posted, and if you suggest a winning title, i will be happy to send you some teasers for the next two parts of the series.**

** so, here we go. chapter 2.**

* * *

"What do you mean she was in an accident?!" James Possible jumped out of his chair, not caring that he was in the middle of an important meeting. The asshole Dr. Rich, who always was tearing apart his projects, his partner on the project Dr. Blue, and his boss Dr. Wong were there, along with three guys from NASA, discussing his newly designed Keplar supersonic spacecraft.

"I don't know. Dr. Possible just said she needed you at home."

"What hospital is my daughter in?" He asked, partly terrified and mostly resigned to having to wait about his multi-million dollar aircraft.

"Um... she's not in the hospital."

"Dr. Possible, I understand this is an emergency, if you wish to—"

"Wait, just wait a second," he snapped at Dr. Wong, whose eyes widened as she nodded. Turning back to the person at the door, "You need to tell me everything from the beginning."

"But sir—"

"_Now_!"

"Um... well, Dr. Possible had a call from the park ranger, saying that there'd been an avalanche on the mountain and—"

"_An avalanche!?_"

"Y-yes, Dr. Possible... um, your daughter wasn't on the roster of students they rescued, and she was not in the building either. The only assumption they can make is that she is trapped on the mountain. Another classmate as hers is missing as well."

Dazed, James felt his breath come faster. "But it's twenty degrees outside," he mumbled to himself, numb with disbelief.

The young man at the door swallowed. "I'm... sorry, sir."

"I need to go home," he mumbled. "Keys, I need my keys, where...? I need to find my daughter."

Dr. Wong, who had recovered from her shock, guided him into his chair. "You need to go home, James. Your wife needs you. I'll take you home, and we'll take this up again in a couple weeks, okay?"

"We can't just put this off. I'm sorry, but we must come to an agreement today."

Rich smirked.

James looked around, still numb and dazed. "But the Keplar has taken years to build..."

"I know. And that is precisely why we must come to an agreement today. NASA cannot continue to fund the project unless we know it will be viable."

He exploded. "My _daughter _is buried under a wall of snow somewhere, maybe dead, and you want me to come to an agreement over a dumb _rocket ship?!_"

Dr. Wong rubbed her temples. "It doesn't have to be like this. You can't wait even a week for the whole thing to blow over?"

"Ma'am, you understand the contract was signed under a time constraint. Your time ends in two days."

James headed for the door. "Wanda... please, just take care of this. What ever they want... I just, I can't—"

"I know, James. We'll take care of it. You go on home."

He reached for the door knob, but his hands were shaking. He looked around, lost. "The door..."

"James, you sign yourself out with your palm print."

Oh... he knew that. Placing his trembling palm on the reader, he waited for the biometric scanner to clear him. Then he bolted.

* * *

"Tell me about your friends."

She raised an eyebrow. "You didn't see them all?"

"Everyone at that table yesterday wasn't your friend."

"You're very observant." She smirked. "My best friend Moni. I'll start with her."

"Which one is Moni?"

"The dark-skinned girl with the curly hair."

Ron nodded. "She's in your cheer squad?"

"Yeah. She actually designed and made all our uniforms herself."

"Cool!"

"Her mom was a designer in Paris. Her dad is from Middleton."

"Was?"

Kim shook her head. "No... she didn't like, die or anything. She um... she left Moni and her dad when Moni was very young."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Moni has always had it in her head that she would design her own clothes... partly to spite her mom I think. But mostly to remember her."

Ron didn't know what to say to that.

"Moni has designed for some of the most famous designers out there. She's been sketching her own line of clothing for years. She has a spring line she drew last year... for me. It was called 'Anything is Possible' by Moni Jay." She smiled. "She actually made the whole collection... it took her three months. I still wear it, actually. The dress I wore to the Spring Fling last year was from that line too."

"So wait, now designers name their lines after you too?"

Kim laughed. "Nah, Moni just... she used to get into trouble a lot. I have... had... a lot of juice with the law. Her charges were dropped most of the time. I talked to her dad about an... _acquaintance_... that I have that is a therapist. That's how Moni got into MAGIC, because the therapist said that she was bored and that she needed to be challenged more. She started using clothing design as a method of relaxation... she loves it now. She's made more money off any one of her designs than my parents make in a year together."

"What do your parents do?"

"My dad is a scientist down at the Middleton Space Center. He deals with the designing and engineering of the space ships they send."

"That is really cool!"

"Yeah, well my dad is a bit of a nerd, what can I say."

"How about your mom?"

He saw her eyes sadden with her smile. "She's a doctor. She specializes in neurology, neurosurgery. You know. Stuff having to do with your brain and your spine."

"Your mom is a brain surgeon?"

"Yeah."

"No wonder everyone in your house is a freaking genius," Ron muttered.

Kim had to laugh again. "I tell them that every time the Tweebs destroy something." Her eyes watered, but her jaw set stubbornly.

"You'll see them again," he told her quietly.

She tried to smile up at him. It ended up more like a grimace.

Ron cleared his throat. "So Moni actually designed clothes for you?"

"Yeah. I wear them too. Last week I wore this green blouse she made me. Everyone was all, 'where'd you get that shirt, it's so cool!' and I had to laugh at them. Moni designed my mission clothes too. I've worn that to school a couple times... not enough time to change before class."

Ron remembered that green blouse all too well. He'd been drooling over her in it the rest of the day, and his buddy Josh had to snap him out of his funk several times. He knew her mission clothes too: cargo pants that hung enticingly on her hips, in a dark green that looked almost black, and a skin-tight obsidian black shirt that ended just under her rib cage, showing all the soft, tan skin of her abdomen and the soft curve of her waist. Dear God in heaven.

That day she'd run into class, skidding to a halt and frantically pushing her hair out of her way just as the bell rang. She'd run into him and he reached out and put his hand on her waist, just to steady her. She whispered a hurried thanks and pulled her books out of her bag. Her hair had fallen over her shoulder and into her face again, and he marveled at how the black of her shirt made her hair look extra fiery.

He drooled over that for weeks. So did the rest of the male population of the Middleton Academy for Gifted Children.

Kim took it in stride, handling the attention with the same grace she handled everything else in the world. She never stopped blowing him away.

And he would kiss Moni's feet for designing the stuff that made Kim look so freaking beautiful, when he got out of this frigid hell hole.

"What are you thinking?" she asked curiously.

He shook his head. "Nothing... I was just trying to remember the clothing you're talking about. I remember your mission outfit. In fact, I bet most guys in MAGIC remember that outfit."

She flushed. "Did I really look that bad?"

The chuckle that came from him rose from his lips in a frosty huff. "Bad? The entire male population of gifted students in Middleton has posters of you in their bedrooms in that outfit."

She crinkled her nose. "Gross."

He shrugged. "It's the truth. Wait, you didn't notice?"

"Not really... I'm not into dating these days." Her eyes lowered, and he frowned. Before he could ask what was wrong, she continued to speak. "I got burned really bad, and I'm not really in a hurry to date." She lifted a shoulder in a dull shrug. "I guess I've liked a couple guys since then, but not enough to go out with them. That and I'm so busy these days with my missions..." She stared at her hands for a moment before giving an embarrassed chuckle. "I'm sorry... that was totally off topic."

"It's okay." He smiled and squeezed her hand reassuringly. He realized then that he actually hadn't let go of her hand. He liked holding it, actually. He liked it a lot.

She glanced down at their joined hands too, squeezing gently. "Paige is such a conundrum. She joined Cheer this year and she's really great at it... except that she rarely speaks at all. Which is weird considering she probably knows more languages than there are days in a month, although I only know of I think seven."

"Holy shit! Are you for real?"

Kim grinned. "She's cool. I have a feeling about her though... like she can do more than she says. Lilith too. She's an artist."

"Lilith?"

"The goth-ish girl. Well I don't know. She dresses goth, but she's much too perky to be really gothic. Well, her sarcasm more than makes up for it I guess." She pursed her lips. "She sees things in ways that no one else sees them. It makes me wonder exactly what her talent is."

"How do you mean?"

"Paige with the languages... and Lilith with the art... I think that those things are just the... symptom, or the outward expression of what their real talents are."

Ron shrugged. "I don't even know how I got into MAGIC."

"What do you mean?"

"I just... I sat down one day and I told myself that I was getting the hell out of the Middleton public school system. I was so tired of the people there picking on me."

"So you came to MAGIC?" Kim tried not to laugh.

"Yeah I know, right? I personally think I got in because of my general zen. And ability to bullshit." he chuckled and then grew serious. "As cliquish as it is in MAGIC, most people just leave me alone. I like it. Being invisible is a nice change of pace for me."

Kim watched him for a long time. "You aren't telling me everything."

He just shook his head. "I will... later on. This isn't some dying confessional. We're getting out of this mess. Anyway, keep telling me about your friends."

She sighed. "Where were we?"

"Paige and Lilith. I don't know which one Paige is."

"She's the one with the black hair. She's always wearing it in a bun."

"Lilith you said is the one that dresses goth, right?"

"Yeah. She's a lot less intimidating than she looks."

He grinned. "I'll have to see about that. Who else is close to you?"

"Wait... I'm doing all the talking here. What about your friends?"

He looked away. "I, um... I don't have many friends."

"You have to have at least one."

He smiled. "Yeah... there's Josh. He's cool. He goes to Middleton High though. Your Lilith would like him, he's really into art. He's... quiet like me."

"He knows the other stuff, doesn't he?"

Ron nodded. "You're good. He, uh... has similar issues. We tend to stick together. He keeps me sane."

"I'm glad there's someone to support you in whatever is going on."

He smiled at the sincerity of her words. "Thank you. That... means a lot coming from you."

She reached for his hand again, squeezing it gently.

* * *

"_Tonight on Middleton Evening News: Our very own town hero, Kim Possible, is reported to be trapped in the wall of snow that overtook this small resort area earlier today, damaging dozens of buildings and taking two lives. Search and rescue operations have been going on for about six hours now and four people have been rescued. Miss Possible, however, was reportedly on the mountain when the avalanche hit, along with another student._

_Although the teen is well trained in survival situations, officials feel that if they don't find a lead soon, the operation to rescue Miss Possible and her classmate will become a recovery-"_

Dr. Anne Possible turn the TV off and tossed the remote somewhere. Burying her face in her hands, she squeezed her eyes shut against the tears. She'd gotten that phone call just after wrapping up a pre-operation consultation. Her brain kicked into overdrive and she barely understood the words that came through the receiver: _There was an accident._ An accident, her clouded mind had repeated, dazed._ Avalanche, Kim was on the mountain. _When she'd called last night, she complained that no one wanted to go with her on one of the more complicated skiing trails. This morning, she'd cheerfully reported that she snuck out of her room and was going to go scout a trail with a classmate she just met, that was really good at snowboarding. Ron something.

And now they were lost out there... in the cold. She shivered sub-consciously and looked out the window. White puffs of snow swirled in the growing darkness before floating to the ground. The local weather just before the report on Kim had read fifteen degrees. She couldn't imagine how cold it was up on that mountain...

"Anne?"

She looked up, her blue-green eyes pooled with sadness, at her husband. "James... a-are you... I mean, how are you holding up, honey?"

He sat down next to her on the couch, pulling her to him and rubbing her back gently. "Don't... do the awkward thing. Talk to me, Annie."

Unable to stop her tears any longer, Anne wrapped her arms around her husband. "I just... I'm so scared," she whispered. "I don't want to lose our baby girl."

James squeezed his wife close to him. He would never say this to her, but he knew that there were literally hundreds of square miles to search. The chances of finding her with more snow falling on top of any evidence they may have left... it was getting slimmer with every minute, with every inch of snow that coated the ground, with every degree that it would drop.

His daughter would not come home tonight.

He squeezed his eyes shut against his own tears as he listened to his wife cry. He stroked her hair, reveling in the scent of it. She used a strawberry-watermelon scented shampoo, and so she always smelled like summer, even in the cold.

Kim was just the opposite. She always smelled sweet and spicy, and she always smelled like coffee because she mainlined the substance like water. He remembered one of the many times Kim arrived home in time for breakfast and cheerfully strode past her parents toward the coffee maker before grabbing a bowl and some cereal.

"_You got in a little late there, Kimmie-cub." It was five in the morning when their flame-haired, emerald-eyed, mission-clad daughter slammed the back door with a yawn._

_She smiled at her parents, who returned her smile with only a glare and raised eyebrows. "I'm sorry... it really slows me down when I have to pull my shoot as soon as we bail... I got stuck with Agent Du on this mission again." She glared into the fridge dully. "Seriously, for a person who's been a Global Justice agent for longer than I've been alive, the guy has serious free-falling issues. I can't stand him at all! He thinks he knows everything, but he ends up ruining everything I plan! The Director gave _me_ the job, I was the lead operative! If it weren't for me he would have gotten that man killed, and his ass would have been fucking fired like it should have been years ago!" _

"_Watch your tongue, Kimmie."_

"_Sorry, Momma," she grinned sheepishly._

"_Just where were you last night, anyway?"_

_She gave them a brilliant smile that made her emerald eyes sparkle. "Tokyo." She pushed the button on the TV and turned to get the milk. She poured some in her coffee and some in her cereal as the news anchor announced that some toy man had been saved by Middleton's own world-famous teen hero, Kim Possible._

_The glares turned to smiles and they relented, congratulating her._

"_It was no big," she responded with a grin. Then she shuddered. "Well... besides the sumo ninja. He was... really big. Anyway, aside from rescuing the toymaker, I also got to have some fun at the parade. I brought you guys back something too... not from the parade, I mean from Japan. Not that the parade wasn't in Japan- Ugh, you know what I mean." She reached into her backpack and brought out a beautifully gift wrapped box._

_She finished her coffee and stretched, yawning. "I have a debriefing in an hour and then I'm headed to school." She muttered about having to wear her mission clothes all day, but then she kissed her parents cheeks before pouring her cereal in a plastic container to take with her._

_James and Anne opened the box to reveal a beautiful porcelain figurine of a woman in a traditional Japanese. In her hand was a beautifully decorated fan._

He picked up the figurine, which now decorated the side table. "Remember this?" He asked softly, causing his wife to stop crying, briefly.

She gave him a tearful smile. "Kimmie came home so embarrassed that day because she didn't get the chance to change out of her mission gear until her cheerleading practice." She stroked the figurine gently.

She had key chains, jewelry, and trinkets that Kim would bring home after all her adventures. During the summer last year, she'd been gone for six weeks out of the year. Two weeks she spent on a case for GJ, and the rest of the time she spent helping build dorms, a school, and a church with a Christian organization that ran an orphanage in Tanzania. She brought home dozens of pictures and trinkets, and she still received letters from the kids she got close to. The summer before last, she spent the month of her thirteenth birthday building a youth center and teaching sports to kids in Mexico that were at risk for gang violence.

She had to come home. The world still needed her. She was so fearless, so compassionate and caring, so full of life... and caffeine... and she couldn't leave like this! She was as fiery as her red hair, beautiful, smart, and she never held back. She was a fighter, a warrior, a cat with nine lives, a phoenix that rose from the ashes and disaster again and again... she could make it through this. She had faith that her daughter could live through this, like she did through everything else.

James watched his wife look at the beautiful porcelain doll, and his heart was breaking. He saw the hope rise in her eyes, and he knew that the next phone call they would receive would drain the life from her eyes forever. He didn't know how to stop it... part of him didn't stop hoping either...

He did know one thing. "I love you, Annie."

The blue-green eyes that he'd fallen in love with twenty years before pooled with emotion. "I love you too, Jimmy."

* * *

Ron's frame trembled violently, but he chuckled anyway. He had her talking about her missions now, and she had gone off on a tangent about the annoying and incompetent agent she sometimes had to do her missions with.

More time had gone by... it was darker. Darker and colder. He guessed it was night time now. It took her so much effort to speak now, because she was constantly controlling her reactions to her pain, and trying to keep her trembling to a minimum. He almost wanted to tell her to save her energy, to rest... but if she saved her energy, she would die, at which point any energy she'd conserved would be completely useless.

She'd fallen asleep earlier, much to his utter fear and horror. After his initial panic, he realized that their tiny snow-tube would not hold forever, and it could collapse with them in it. So after hours of digging and crawling, he came across a small cave that was big enough for both of them to fit comfortably, but just barely. He'd carefully carried her, as best he could in such a small space, to the tiny opening and dug through her backpack for anything useful to keep them warm. He found a flashlight and a half-full lighter. He scraped together what tiny twigs and leaves were in the small space and created a fire. She'd slept peacefully then. But now the fire had burned out, and they both watched it's last embers die in silence.

Ron had tried to keep her talking since then again, but he himself had been awake since four in the morning, tormented by the images that plagued his subconscious mind. He was starting to get sleepy, too. But he kept shaking himself awake, not daring to sleep too long. If he left her, she'd die terrified and alone, and he couldn't let that happen.

She'd offered him his hoodie back, and he vehemently declined. His clothes had mostly dried out with the fire, anyway. Now they were conversing about nothing and everything.

"Do you know he actually pretended to be my dad one time? Oh and he liked bossing me around, too. When that mission was over I told him to fuck off, and that my dad is a thousand times cooler than he'll ever be."

"You should respect your elders, missy," he chided her with a chuckle.

She rolled her eyes. "As if." After a moment, she smiled up at him "You're not so bad, Stoppable."

He coughed to cover his surprise. "What do you mean?"

"I dunno," she shrugged shyly. "I like you. You're cool... even though you're trying to be tough for me through this like I'm some damsel in distress."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Well you're a damsel... I mean, you aren't a dude, that's for sure. You're a lady, a damsel. A smoking hot one at that, if you don't mind me saying so. And if this situation doesn't qualify as distress, then I don't really know what does."

She glared into the darkness in response. Then she smirked. "You know, I don't mind."

He coughed to hide his surprise again.

She laughed, but then became serious. "You know... we're in this frigid little hell hole... I'm in pain, I'm tired, and cold... but I haven't laughed this much in ages. I haven't... sat down to _talk_ to my friends... to my classmates... and all of a sudden you come along... you're in my class but I don't even really know you... and then I'm having more fun with you here in this place than I do when I'm out with my girls or saving the world or..." she stopped, taking slow, shivering breaths. "I'm sorry I had to meet you like this." her voice wavered slightly, belying her tears.

"Keep talking," he urged gently. "Please, don't give up on me. We just met, it wouldn't be cool for our friendship to begin and end in the same day, would it?"

She shook her head, biting her lip to hide a smile. "Talk to me about you," she said.

"I've already told you everything about me."

"Not everything."

He sighed. "Since you insist." He stared at the ashes left of the fire. "My parents... well they don't really like me...very much."

Her voice was flinty. "What does that mean?"

"It means that they've been mentally and emotionally abusive since as long as I can remember."


	4. Chapter 3

**hey guys! just a reminder, please vote for your favorite title or suggest your own. if you suggest the winning title, you'll get teasers for Part 2 and Part 3.**

* * *

"Can I get you something to drink, Dr. Possible?"

James let out a shaky breath and looked up at the young girl. "Um, I'm sure my wife could use some coffee."

"Moni is with her. Her dad too."

He smiled in thanks at her. Her class had returned late last night, and high school girls had invaded his home. Well, three high school girls. The one he was looking at, he was pretty sure, was named Paige. Paige and her family were new to the area, having moved to Middleton only last year. He was good friends with her father and mother, and her mother was a colleague of Anne's down at the hospital. The two girls had become close, and he found comfort in Paige's calm, quiet presence. She was a lot like his daughter. Mature, levelheaded, calm. Beautiful too, although he thought his Kimmie-cub was much more so. She had dark hair that was constantly in a bun, although today she had left it hanging naturally to her shoulders in loose curls. It was different for her... she looked younger.

"Kim says the same."

Had he said that out loud?

Paige chuckled. "What's Kim told you about me?"

"That you speak several languages, that you're in her cheer squad... I don't know, most of this I've heard from your folks, too." He wondered briefly about them.

"The told me to crash here with you guys tonight. They want to come by later, but I didn't know how you would feel about company." She shrugged. "Anyway, I do speak several languages. More than she knows, actually, she knows about speak seven or eight, although I know she suspects that I know more. I can fluently speak and read twenty-one languages." He gaped at her and she grinned. "Languages are simply my favorite pastime. Communication is different for me."

"How so?"

She stood and gave him a devious smirk. "You didn't say that out loud. I'll get you something to eat."

He just stared after her. Huh.

* * *

She was silent a long time. Her frame trembled... but not from the cold. From the _rage,_ the all-consuming anger that suddenly coursed through her. There was no way a guy as laid back as her new friend had those kinds of problems at home... it just wasn't possible! He was so... caring. And happy go lucky. Actually, just generally happy. How did he end up so... _normal?_

The laughter that echoed in the tiny space startled her. "Did you really just ask me why I'm so normal?"

She flushed. "Maybe—"

He grinned. "It's alright. I actually have an answer for you." Growing serious, he took her good hand again. "First, I don't want you to feel bad for me. I know you've got your hero complex thing going on in your head, and you're thinking that you wish you'd known and whatever else. First, emotional and mental abuse is actually pretty hard to prove. Second, I do a pretty good job of keeping that sort of stuff to myself. I spoke to the guidance counselor, in middle school. Apparently, picking on me at home makes it easy for people to pick on me elsewhere," he muttered dully before continuing. "Anyways, the counselor helped me understand a lot of things. She reported it to the social service people too, but like I said... that kind of thing is hard to prove. She told me that it wasn't about me, that I'm not everything they say I am... she helped me understand that it's really their own problem that makes them that way." He drew a shaky breath. "When they brought Hana home I was secretly mortified that anyone even let them have another kid, let alone adopt. It took a week for her novelty to wear off, and then they were treating her like me. At that point I sort of took over all the responsibilities of taking care of her myself. I figured if they don't have to deal with her, they won't treat her badly, right?"

Kim's jaw was clenched so tight she was pretty sure her teeth were cracking.

"Kim? What are you thinking?"

"That I want to get out of here so that I can give your dear folks a piece of my mind concerning you and your sister," she spit through her teeth. "And that if I ever find out that there's so much a hair missing off that baby's head there will be hell to pay, and I'll make sure they pay it."

"Kim—"

"I can't believe—"

"KIM!" Ron chuckled. "Calm down, Sweetheart. We have to get out of here and fix your up before you can go on your crime-fighting rampage of doom."

"And God help whoever gets in my way," she added with a huff. Then she gave him a sly, almost evil grin. "You know, if you're really into it, I have more strings I can pull than a clothing factory."

He shook his head. "Nah. Not quite yet. Maybe in a couple years. I'm fine, the problem is Hana."

"Oh, you want to wait till you're eighteen and make the case about Han with you as a witness that establishes a pattern. Then they'd go to jail, and you could sue for custody of Hana. Hmm..." she looked thoughtful. "I bet I have strings for that too." The devious smirk was back. "Actually even if you turn eighteen first, you can technically still press charges for yourself. I'll look into that. And you know, if you bring a kid in from out of the country just to abuse them I bet there is a way we can spin it where it's considered human trafficking, which makes it a federal case. Leave it with me."

Ron shook his head. "I created a monster."

"Not a monster," she pouted. Then she reconsidered, with a devious smirk. "Well, maybe I am a monster, to some people. But that's okay, they are monsters to me, too." She was silent a moment, then she glared at him. "Wait, hold it. Did you just call me _sweetheart_?"

"And if I did?"

"I hate it when people do that! I'm not a sweetheart, sweethearts don't know how to kill a person ten different ways with their bare hands. And I don't want to have to prove that, so don't call me it again!"

"Yikes," he muttered. Then he grinned. "Sorry, sweetie. I won't do it again."

She glared at him and he held his hands up in surrender, laughing.

"So we've already established that my parents suck. Lets talk about something else."

"Just for calling me _that_, you have to tell me the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you."

"Oh... boy, that is a very long list."

"Okay, well what's at the top?"

"The top, or the top one-hundred?"

"That bad?"

"Well, most embarrassing things happen to me on account of bullies. The things that don't are really just my own clumsiness. Like the time I fell up the stairs every day for two weeks straight. Tripped on the same stair every day! It took me a while to figure out that that step was slightly wider than the ones before it, and that I would step expecting to have to reach further out and end up stubbing my toe and landing on my ass three stairs up."

She chuckled. "That is not clumsiness, my friend. That is talent. I've never met anyone who could consistently trip on the same thing over and over."

"I guess that's how I got into MAGIC. It takes skill to trip over flat surfaces. Oh, heh, I'm actually wearing that tee shirt today."

She grinned. "Mine says 'CSI: Can't Stand Idiots' today. I wore it two months ago when Agent Du and I had our debriefing after a mission. The director was laughing her ass off the entire time. He was clueless and self-absorbed as usual. It was... pretty hilarious."

He shook his head. His _sweetheart_ definitely had a very sour side when provoked.

They had a lot in common, he discovered. Besides their apparent love for snarky tee shirts, they were also certified coffee-holics and they both loved the slopes, obviously. During their long and random conversations he also found out that Kim had a secret love for plush, and that her guilty pleasure splurges usually involved Cuddlebuddies. She'd flushed and stuttered for a few minutes over it before he finally laughed.

"You don't have to defend yourself, you know," he grinned. "If you have an absurd attachment to collectible plush items that's your problem... I'm not one to judge."

"Gee, thanks," she retorted.

"I'm serious. Besides... I might have a secret thing for the Flippies."

She giggled. It was the single most adorable sound he'd ever heard. "Are you for real?"

"I'm so for real. The Flippies are legit."

She giggled again. "Legit, huh?"

"Hey you know what? I'm not dissing your Cuddlebuddies, so don't harsh my Flip."

She covered her mouth to stifle her giggles. "Okay," she chuckled.

He watched her for a minute. "You're cuter in person."

She smiled shyly, letting her hair fall in her face. He reached over and tucked her hair behind her ear. "We're gunna make it," he said, looking into her eyes.

For the first time, she gave him a genuine smile in return. "We're gunna make it."

* * *

"So how often do you normally go on missions?"

She smiled tiredly. "Depends... on the type of mission."

"Oh?"

She was silent. Her eyes had remained closed most of the night, and he found himself in a panic several times when she didn't respond to him right away. Needless to say, they both sighed in relief when the snow outside their little hole grew lighter and lighter with the sun. but he was terrified to see her weakening. He knew that holding on was becoming much too difficult for the girl that could do anything.

"Kim?"

She squeezed his hand.

"Keep talking, Sweetheart."

"So tired," she whispered. "Too tired."

He stifled his trembling long enough to wrap her in his arms. She didn't react outwardly, but she stiffened briefly. "Did I hurt you?"

"I'm alright."

"I know you're tired and in pain," he said into your hair. "But I need you to keep talking. They are coming, and we are going to get you out of here."

She shook her head slowly. "I don't want to talk. I want to listen to you."

He smiled. "Okay."

"So," she drawled, a small smirk playing at her lips. "Any girls?"

He was quiet for a long time. "One."

"Is she cute?"

"She's beautiful," he whispered in response. "I saw her for the first time at a school dance. I remember thinking she was the most graceful person I had ever seen. I still think that."

She gave a soft smile. "Sounds like... you've liked her a long time."

"I've been in love with her since sixth grade," he said matter-of-factly.

She opened her eyes to look up at him. "Really?"

"Yeah," he breathed. "And I've always thought that... that I'd never have a chance with her. What with my family problems and my... my own lack of confidence I guess... I never took a chance."

"Wait, you've wanted this girl that long and you never talked to her?"

He shook his head.

She closed her eyes and leaned into him. "When we get out of here you'll talk to her."

"I did... before all this. I finally got up the courage to talk to her. She was just like I always thought she would be. Kind, graceful, full of life. She's smart, witty and fun. A-after meeting her, I love her... more." His voice shook.

"What does she look like?"

Ron swallowed hard. Drawing a deep breath to steady himself, he reached up, brushing her tangled hair away from her face. "Her hair is... like fire." he pressed his lips to her cheek. "Her skin is like ivory."

Her eyes popped open. "W-what..."

He chuckled. "I saw her eyes for the first time yesterday. They were green, like emeralds in the sun. I never got close enough to her... long enough to see her eyes I mean... before yesterday."

She pulled away from him, ignoring the pain in her left side. Her eyes looked up at him questioningly. "You... you're kidding, right?"

He swallowed hard again, shaking his head. His heart was suddenly racing, and he tried not to stiffen as he braced himself for the oncoming rejection.

She covered her mouth with her good hand and stared vacantly into the small space. Her breath left her lungs in a whoosh. Then, tears filled her eyes. "I didn't even know your name," she whispered. "God, I've always known everyone's name! I'm the Student Council Vice President. How did I not..."

"Kim...? What are you talking about?"

She settled her surprised and mildly horrified sight on him. "I didn't even know who you were until yesterday! I only knew that you came on this trip with our class and..."

"It's not your fault."

"I've always known everyone."

"I've always been good at being invisible."

"You aren't invisible anymore," she whispered, giving him a watery smile. "Not to me."

He didn't speak, and she realized it was because he was holding back tears. She removed his hand from her hair and placed it over her chest briefly before holding it in her lap. She let out a self-depreciating chuckle. "You know, my reputation is as much a help as it is a hindrance sometimes. Before I never really cared about what people thought about me... I do what I do because I love it. I've never lost sight of that, but I could never shake the eyes of people on me. It made me conscious of every thing I do, every place I go... who I hang out with...my image has become more and more relevant to me, to the point where I haven't told Bonnie and her little friends off, because they actually know a thing or two about maintaining their image.

"I never loved Eric. Not really..."

"Wait—Eric is the guy that burned you?"

She nodded. "I liked that he was popular. He comes from a respectable family, his dad and my mom are colleagues... if I dated him no one would talk down. I liked that he was cute, and that he treated me... well, in my blindness I thought that he treated me well. Paige warned me about him... but I was so focused on the fact that he is so cute and... good for my image." She shook her head. "I've been so blind. In the fourteen months I spent with him I never once felt what I've felt here with you in only one day." She sniffed. "As it turns out, he was honing his image too... and by that I mean, his image as a womanizing douche that likes carving notches on his bedpost. I was simply next on his list... and he'd buy me things and take me places, and kiss me and call me beautiful... and I thought that was enough. I didn't want to see that he was just playing with my head and wanted to be the only guy that nailed every cheerleader in the school. He missed me and Monique. He was so pissed at me when I told him off."

"I remember you ran home in tears one day... I had no clue why. But you were so upset..." he stared at his hands, slightly embarrassed. "I might have followed you home, made sure that you got there okay."

She raised an eyebrow. "No comment."

He chuckled. "Hey, you were upset. I just wanted to be-"

"No comment. Just... no comment."

He laughed. "Okay."

She laughed with him for a moment, then grew serious. "He said he was going to get me a ride home. I went to his brother's car. His brother wasn't there. He was, though. In the back of the car... with Bonnie."

"Wait... you caught them screwing in his brother's car?"

"Yeah. And I still let her hang around, can you believe that? Since when is my image more important than my own dignity?" She shook her head again.

"She knows you saw her?"

"No. Eric does, because I broke up with him after making him chase me around for a week begging to know what had me so pissed." She bit back her smirk. "I might have told him to meet me behind the gym... alone... to talk. And I might have left him with the impression that we were going back there to... you know." She couldn't hide her smirk this time. "He was so surprised when I popped him the first time. And I may or may not have cup-checked him. That was when he knew what was going on. And then I drop-kicked him and told him that if he valued his life, he shouldn't have a girlfriend that can kill a person with her bare hands ten ways and then cheat on her." She bit her lip. "It took him a few hours to get home. He told his parents that he got mugged. In the mean time a guy who feels like he needs to follow an upset, maybe dangerous girl home because she's upset and he loves her, not considering that he could have gotten seriously hurt if she'd caught him... is madly in love with me and I don't even know his _name_?!"

He laughed. "I won't get on your bad side, I promise. I do value my life." He smiled. "You're image was never more important than your dignity. You deserve better than him, and than fucking Bonnie."

She chuckled. "I'll tell her you said that."

"Go ahead," he grinned. "This is the new Ron. The new Ron is not invisible. He simply doesn't give a shit. I've been in here in the fucking cold much too long to care what people think about me anymore."

Kim shivered and winced in pain. "Agreed. When we get out of here, we're done letting people trample our dignity." She gave him a meaningful look. "You're going to let me deal with your parents. If you ever want to stand up for yourself at school, you're going to have to stand up for yourself at home."

His hand squeezed hers again. "Do you really think that I can-"

"We can and we will."

He smiled down at her, and his voice trembled along with the rest of his frame. "Thank you. I... I love you."

* * *

Lilith was sitting alone on Kim's bed, observing her surroundings quietly. There was a desk in the corner. Her homework and Macbook littered the desk. There was a glass case full of nothing but stuffed animals. She stood up and crossed the room towards it. Opening it, she pulled out one of them. She'd gotten it for Kim's birthday in eighth grade.

They grew up hating each other all though elementary school. Kim, who she freely admitted was the bigger person, got tired of seeing her sit alone in the third grade, and persistently brought her friends along to sit at her table for lunch. For years they never spoke except when Lilith offered her some sarcastic insult. Kim always ignored her put-downs until the sixth grade, when she made a comment about her outfit.

Kim had smiled angelically. "I'm glad you like my outfit, Lilith," she'd said cheerfully. The next day, she wore black jeans and a black graphic shirt that had long, fishnet sleeves, along with a black choker and dark, dangerous looking makeup. Her hair was loose and the tips of her hair had been dyed jet black. She sat down at the lunch table that day and chatted with her friends as usual. Lilith didn't say anything about her clothes. She was still sarcastic with Kim, but now she'd just flip her off with a smirk or a laugh. In seventh grade, Lilith's dad suffered a stroke, and, unbeknownst to Kim, Dr. Anne Possible was in charge of the case. Lilith and her mother leaned heavily on the Possible family, and they willingly took them in, helping them with everything they could during her dad's recovery. There were many a sleepless nights in this room as she and Kim giggled and whispered about everything they could think of.

Lilith sat down on the large periwinkle blue beanbag couch. It was new. Before there was a pink one, and she'd cried on Kim's shoulder on that pink bean bag a whole lot the first few days her father was in the hospital. There was a lot about Kim she didn't understand. How was it that a fiery girl like her came home to a room with pastel pink and blue and purple? How was it that a girl that knew more ways to injure someone than should be legal had a secret obsession with plush toys like the one she was hugging now? How was it that someone who constantly saw disaster, destruction, selfish scum, and doom could constantly be so full of life, happiness, and grace? She'd grown to love Kim like a sister, but that did not mean that she didn't think Kim Possible was a fucking enigma to end all enigmas.

Today the rescue people had announced that they weren't doing rescue searches anymore... now it was a _recovery mission_. She'd seen Dr. Possible's face go pale and helped her sit somewhere comfortable. In her mind she knew. That mountain had been eight degrees. There was no way they could have survived twenty-six hours buried in snow in eight-degree weather. Kim and the guy, who's name she found out was Ron... they were dead. Lilith knew these families would be lucky to have a body for the memorial service. That didn't mean that hearing the words spoken out loud wasn't... _painful._ So painful...

The person who made her see life differently... who made helped her learn how to let people in... she was _gone_. The bed she was sitting in, the one where they'd giggled and cried and gossiped like children... it was going to be empty forever. God, what did Kim do to deserve this?

From the beanbag couch, she continued studying her friend's room. There was another desk area in the corner of her room near her closet. That area looked almost like another room completely. The pale thistle color on the walls gave way to white. A navy area rug sectioned off the area, and navy blue cork boards were on both walls. The computer there was a lot more secure than her Mac book, and much more cool. Only she could use it, and her identity was confirmed with a voiceprint and a super-unhackable password. The computer itself was made of glass. It was the strangest thing she'd ever seen. The cork boards held photos of crime scenes, suspects, and maps of areas, along with sometimes reports that she needed to read constantly and other things. Kim took them down when her friends were over, citing that they didn't really need to see all that stuff, and that some of it was classified, and whatever else.

She'd seen her receive cases there before. The girly, plush-loving teenager disappeared instantly the second her stupid video-chat thing sounded off. Her eyes always became guarded, her shoulders always squared, and she always straightened to her full height. Kim the friendly neighborhood Cheer Captain, SC VP, and Cuddlebuddy collector became Kim Possible, the efficient and dangerous federal agent. She'd go to that computer, signing in and listening as Wade or Dr. Director would outline the newest case. Within ten minutes she would be briefed, dressed, and packing her gear to go. Printing off her files and shutting down her special computer, she'd sprint down the stairs with a hurried apology for bailing on their hang out time.

The last time Lilith had seen her receive an assignment, she'd been gone for a week and a half. She left Thursday night, her eyes hard and her face set. She didn't even apologize for bailing that time. Her parents got the call Friday evening that She lost contact with Global Justice and that they were working to locate her. By the next weekend she was still missing and her parents were falling apart. The town press followed them everywhere they went and the school was more like a prison because they had to lock down everything to keep the paparazzi away. Kim arrived the following Tuesday early in the morning, bruised, disheveled, nursing a cut on her arm, and utterly exhausted. Her expression was bleak, and everyone assumed that it was mission NOT accomplished. She never told anyone what had happened when she was gone, but she stopped attending sleep overs for a while. Paige had said she was having trouble sleeping, but she refused to say anything more.

She'd asked Paige if she could find them, but Paige said she had tried, but to no avail.

And if there was a chance that Paige could find them, it was gone. It was gone because Kim was gone.

She buried her face in the stuffed toy and cried.

* * *

"Kim?"

"Mm?"

"How are ya holding up?"

She smiled tiredly, her eyes closed. "Just keep holding me."

"Okay, Sweetheart," he whispered, his numb hands pulling her closer.

"How about you?"

"I'm... cold," he chuckled.

"I'm not."

"You aren't?"

"Just tired."

He pulled away from her and studied her. Her lips were blue. There was a tiny crease between her eyebrows, probably still from pain.

Her eyes opened and looked tiredly at him. "Why'd you let me go?" she whispered.

"I'm worried about you. You aren't even trying to hurt me because I called you Sweetheart."

Her chuckle sounded more like a sigh. "No... I think you can call me... Sweetheart. But nobody else! Okay?"

He smiled. "Okay."

"I'm so tired," she said.

"Hang on just a little longer, Sweetheart," he begged through his chattering teeth.

She closed her eyes again. "Okay."

He watched her rest and panic rose in his chest again. She was fading fast, and he was next. Although that last part was rather irrelevant... he would die when she did. He wasn't going to subject himself to a lifetime of torture thinking that he'd survived and the love of his life didn't. He could handle anything but that.

Unless he could find a way to keep her warm. There was nothing in her backpack, he'd already checked a million times. There was nothing in his pack either... he wondered if he could find anything else to burn that could keep them warm. He crawled all along that stone wall as far as he could go both ways and found three frozen leaves and a couple twigs.

Burying his face in his numb hands, he cried for the first time. He was going to die. _She_ was going to die.


	5. Chapter 4

"Kim?"

"Mm?"

"C-can I ask you something?"

She nodded slightly.

"Do you remember... I think it was a couple years ago... I don't know much about it, it was all over the news that you'd disappeared while working a case."

"That was last year," she whispered. Her hands trembled, and Ron didn't think it had to do with the cold... although both of their hands had turned blue ages ago.

"Will you tell me what happened?"

She drew a shaky breath. "I'm not supposed to talk about this, it's classified."

"Please... tell me. I won't tell anyone, I swear."

"The mission itself... the nature of it is classified. All I can tell you is that there was a very bad person, planning something... horrific."

"What, like a terrorist or something?"

She shook her head slightly. "If only. He was... a mad scientist. He called himself Dr. Drakken. He used to do research for GJ... but his projects began to get extremely warped, and Dr. Director cut him loose."

"Okay, what happened?"

"I took the case, and I had a team of agents with me. It was just a recon mission, to try and see what he was planning and find out how to stop it. When I found out what he was doing... the director gave me the green light to pull the plug." He noticed how long it was taking her to formulate her sentences. It bothered him a lot.

"What was he doing?"

She smirked. "Classified." Her face fell. "One of them... the agents... sold us out."

He frowned in confusion. "Sold you out?"

She nodded. "Her name... is Sherridan Gould. She's one of the most brilliant agents I've ever met. She's a few years older than me, she's twenty-three. She, um..." Kim worked to control her voice. "I always admired her, and when I'm team leader and she's with me, I'm always asking her for suggestions. I learned a lot from her. But she... she was jealous of me. I didn't even know that until I woke up tied up in Drakken's lab. Three of my agents were dead and another one was seriously injured." Her eyes were closed, but she squeezed them anyway to block tears. "He died on the way to the hospital."

Ron swallowed hard.

"I... didn't know how he was hurt. Sherri... she was working with Dr. Drakken. He said that if she'd give him the down low on GJ, that he would... eliminate me."

"She wanted you killed?"

"She thought that I was... in her way." Kim lifted a shoulder. "She beat the ever-loving shit out of me. She was always a better fighter than I am, and I figured out quickly that in a one on one, she knew just how to catch me off guard. I was barely conscious when Dr. Drakken suggested the machine."

"Machine?"

"Yeah... it's this thing he invented that messes with the electrical impulses in your brain and your body... in a way that can create the illusion of extreme pain."

He swallowed hard. "Jesus."

"It was three days before they found us... I was there the whole time with that stupid... brain wave fucker-upper—shut up," she chuckled when he tried not to laugh at the _highly scientific_ name she gave the evil device. "Anyway, I spent some time in the GJ clinic but I left before I could be debriefed. I found out later that Dr. Drakken was killed in the raid. Sherri is paralyzed from the waist down. She took a bullet in the back." She drew another shaky breath. "I talked to her, and she said that she only wanted me to get the fuck out of her way. That everyone said that I was some kind of rising star in the agency, and that she wanted to be the best. She was up for maybe becoming the next Director, and she saw me as competition. I told her that she was someone I always looked up to, someone I learned a lot from... and that I'm sorry she felt that way... I was there when she was sentenced to life in prison. I still visit her, sometimes, although I think she hates me."

"You visit the girl who tortured you for three days?" Ron had never heard anything more insane in his whole life.

She lifted a shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. "She's in a GJ prison. Occasionally I'm there to talk to some criminal about a case... and I see her. Sometimes I go on my own, because no one ever visits her."

"She's the reason four agents died, no one would want to visit her."

"Her family... they sort of abandoned her. For the reason you just said, I guess. She's become really bitter. I... bring her a piece of cake or a candy... or a book, or something... you know, to brighten her day."

"You are seriously..." Ron didn't even know what to say.

"Seriously what?"

"There is no one in the world like you, Miss Possible." And that was an understatement.

She just smiled. "We're friends, I think. Even though she hates me. It's weird."

"Yeah, no shit."

"She always starts off with some sort of sarcastic remark or insult. And I'll hand her her gift and she'll thank me with some other sarcastic nickname she has for me... 'Cupcake' or 'Princess' or something. And we'll talk for a while, and then she'll flip me off and go back to her cell."

"Some friendship."

"It's better than her being alone. She lost her career because of me."

"She lost her career because she was stupid and self-absorbed. That's not really your fault."

"To her, it is."

"Who gives a shit?! She _killed_ four people! She was going to let you waste away on that stupid brain wave fucker-upper as you so eloquently put it. Who cares what she thinks?"

"It doesn't change the fact that she's alone now. And GJ prisons are the epitome of dreary and boring. I think that ten thousand brain cells die every time someone even walks through the door." She leaned her head back. "I'm sorry for her. And I like her, she keeps me on my toes."

"I'll bet," Ron muttered. His eyes slipped closed. He was tired, too.

* * *

Stare at each other in silence was all they'd been able to do since they found out. Sure annoying their sister and stealing her stuff for their newest project was... fun... until they got caught and she threatened to beat the ever-loving crap out of both of them... but now the house was shrouded in despair and darkness. All Mom ever did was cry or stare at her picture or stare at all the various trinkets she'd brought home from her missions.

She'd scored them this totally awesome design for a plasma laser once. Okay, that wasn't entirely true... She needed help with it for a mission, and they'd teamed up with Wade to study it. They might have made a copy when no one was looking, but they had yet to try and build it. Even Mom might snap out of her depression long enough to ground them if they did...

* * *

"Ron?"

"Yeah?"

She was silent for a moment.

"Kim?"

"'m okay," she mumbled. "I just wondered..."

"Spit it out, KP," he chuckled.

"KP?" She echoed, smiling. "I like that. My... dad, when I was little he always called me Kimmie-cub. He still does, and I have to tell him to cut the baby bear references in public now."

He chuckled. "You aren't a bear... you're more like a... leopard or a jaguar. Stunning and beautiful and graceful and powerful... and really efficient when you're hunting."

She laughed out loud, wincing at the pain in her side. "That's um... wow. I've never heard myself described that way. Um... thank you, I guess."

He shrugged. "It was the best I could come up with on the spot."

She looked up at him with the intention of giving him her best smile, but found that his eyes, the color of honey and speckled with mahogany, were intense, burning with emotion she'd never seen or experienced in her life.

Cold lips met, and fire exploded in her such as she'd never felt before.

* * *

_My baby_, was the thought that circled through her head mournfully. _My baby is gone. _Tears blurred her vision as she sagged onto the couch for the thousandth time. She ran her hands through her short red hair and tried to calm down. This couldn't be real. It was some horrible, excruciating nightmare. She was going to wake up from this and set the coffee maker, and Kim would walk in at any moment and drain the whole pot like she always did.

"Honey?"

She looked up. "James..."

"I'm sorry, Annie," he whispered, sitting down next to her and wrapping his arms around her. His eyes burned. His family was falling apart, and he had no idea what to do.

His sons were depressed, and they'd all but quit their science experiments. The dinner table was silent, and everyone pushed around their food but never ate anything. Because of the giant elephant that was sitting in the seat that should have been Kim's. Except it wasn't an elephant... it was a monster. A snow monster that had eaten his daughter alive.

And then his imagination kicked in. He imagined her freezing, curled up in a ball somewhere trying to block out the cold, shaking and shivering until her body finally gave up. He imagined her injured, maybe, in pain and unable to help herself survive...

"James... honey stop," Anne spoke, watching her husband with keen eyes. "Stop doing that to yourself." She always seemed to know what her family was thinking... maybe it was a neurosurgeon thing. Or maybe it was a mom thing. Whatever.

"You think I don't think about those things too?" she whispered, trying to keep the tears out of her voice. "It kills me to think about her out there in the cold... how the last moments of her life might have been." She couldn't hold back a sob then.

He squeezed her tighter.

"I feel like this is all some awful dream."

"Me too."

"Mr. Jenkins has offered to help us with any memorial plans. Monique is distraught, the poor girl." Anne's heart ached a little more then. Kim had brought home the little trouble maker years ago, and she'd become a permanent fixture in the house along with Lilith, who was also a bit high on the weirdness scale, as Kim would have said. In the beginning Anne had been a bit leery of them, but by the time they hit high school, the two girls had matured, stopped getting into trouble. They had become beautiful, responsible girls thanks to her Kimmie. They had become like sisters, and they fought like sisters too. There was always some bickering, or some disagreement, or some anger when Kim took off... but they always made up. Kim trusted those girls with her life, and they in turn, became the most loyal, dependable friends anyone could ever ask for.

Now the girls were completely destroyed. The three were like... the friendship equivalent of soulmates. They had lost a part of themselves, the best part of themselves, to a horrid accident.

She really was the best part of them... it seemed like Kim Possible was the best part of everyone. The calls and condolences rolled in incessantly, and became clear very quickly that the girls were not the only ones that were deeply disturbed by her loss. The whole town was grieving. Maybe even all of Tri-city was moved by the tragedy.

She'd picked up the _Examiner_ this morning and the headline made her throw up. _Beloved Teen Hero Missing and Presumed Dead: Kim Possible Lost in Avalanche that Destroyed Small Resort Town Outside Middleton._

Presumed Dead. She gagged again, and her husband sprinted after her, his own stomach in knots while she heaved.

They sat on the floor in the bathroom for hours, wrapped in each other's arms but lost in their own grief.

* * *

It was getting dark again. Her breathing was labored, and she knew her number was up. She didn't feel scared, or even angry, or anything. She just felt incredibly sad that she was leaving her new friend behind. Of all the people she couldn't save, _he_ would literally be the death of her.

He was watching her with a bleak expression. He knew he was dying too... and he was afraid to go before telling her that he loved her, at least one last time. He knew it was useless to panic, but the numbness that had settled in his body had rendered him next to immobile, and it was frightening not to be able to move because he'd officially frozen to death.

He tried to keep her talking, but her words had become slurred, and her thoughts were starting to become incoherent. Come to think of it, he was starting to feel a little bit crazy too. His mind was swirling with the cold and the darkness and the fear... and the grief that she was going to die. It was all he could think about.

"I'm tired," she breathed after what seemed like an endless silence.

His chest tightened, and he shuffled his way over to her until he could wrap his arms around her. "Rest," he said quietly.

A single tear fell. "I'm... sorry."

"Shh," he whispered, trying to keep his own emotion at bay. "It's okay. Just rest."

She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he pressed his numb lips into her hair. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall. He was tired too.

"Ron?"

He opened his eyes.

"Thank you..." she mumbled. "I think... I think that I... love..."

He waited a beat. "What was that, Kim?"

He was met with silence.

* * *

When he opened the door, the person on the other side let out a sigh. His eyes were vacant, void of life itself. His posture was burdened and defeated. His face was older. "Come in, Mom," he said, and his voice was flat and empty.

"Oh... my son," the old woman said, wrapping him in her strong grip.

The numbness that gripped him faded, and he crumbled.

* * *

_Beloved Teen Hero Kim Possible Missing and Presumed Dead._

She read the words over and over, and she didn't believe them. The guard, seeing her visibly shaken, asked if she needed to visit the prison's clinic. She told him to leave her the fuck alone.

Her hands frantically turned to the page where the article continued, although part of her mind felt that, in her panic, she was almost looking for Kim in the folds of the flimsy paper.

She was the only friend Sherri Gould had ever had. It had everything to do with the fact that she was a closed off bitch that couldn't stand to be around people. She was not friend material. She liked being alone. Solitary was a blessing for her, and she often did stupid shit just so she could end up in solitary.

She was never getting out of here. She'd been sentenced to four consecutive life sentences for the deaths of the agents her only friend had been responsible for. Her only friend who she still wanted dead.

She got her wish. Why was she so upset about it now?

Simple. She also might have taken a not so tiny liking to the tiny red-haired ball of energy named Kim Possible. Not as simple, she also was the only other person being considered to train as the next director, and she, in her stupid selfish need to be the top dog (or bitch, since she was a female), wanted her out of the way.

Only to find out that the girl had always wanted to be friends with her and made it a habit to make respectable people out of social outcasts. Apparently, she was Kim Possible's next project, and it pissed her off that it was working. She didn't want to be respectable, she wanted to be respected. Kim had given her that, and she'd thrown it in the teen's face.

She'd also strapped her to a machine where her brain was constantly being fucked up with a ray that caused extreme pain.

She cringed as she remembered the teen gritting her teeth and whimpering, refusing to give anyone the satisfaction of hearing her scream or hearing her cry. Drakken had cranked up the stupid device, and her back had arched briefly, and she thrashed her head from side to side. But she didn't scream, and she didn't cry. Whenever Drakken was gone, she turned the thing off for an hour or two, and the girl had sagged in relief every time.

She'd had Dr. D do it to her once, experimentally. After ten seconds of the most excruciating pain she'd ever felt in her entire life, she screamed at him until he turned it off. The smirk on his face told her he planned to use it again.

He'd explained to Kim exactly how the device worked, and she glared at him the entire time he gloated about his work of scientific art. She'd seen her face drain of color when Dr. Drakken was about to turn it on, and she'd seen her bit into her lip so hard she drew blood immediately.

Kim sat behind her the entire trial. Smiled in encouragement at the beginning of each session. Squeezed her shoulder before the guards would drag her off to jail again. And then, about a month and a half after sentencing, she'd shown up in the visitation area with a small smile and a piece of fucking chocolate chip cake.

After all the God-awful prison food, she wasn't going to be a bitch and refuse the cake. Only because the flame-haired girl's selflessness was about as limitless as her own selfishness.

She ate up every minute with Kim, listening to her stories and helping her with some case or other that she was stuck on... even being a snitch for her some days and secretly tipping her off when shady stuff was going on in the prison or in the world of villainy. Kim always hugged her with genuine affection, and she always returned her affection with a one-finger salute. Kim just laughed it off, like she did every other insult Sherri could think of. The girl was tough as nails.

"What are you staring at bitch?" She growled at a woman who was constantly starting trouble in the prison.

The woman sneered at her unconvincingly and went back to the rock she crawled out from under. Sherri squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her fingers to her temples.

_I shouldn't be able to do even that after what I did to her,_ she mused to herself sullenly. _I should be dead... not her._

_Oh God... she's dead._ She put her face in her hands as the grief tore through her.

* * *

He'd laid her down, flat on her back, against the wall of their hole. How he wasn't entirely sure, but he didn't really care. Her breathing had slowed, and he laid there with her, eyes closed, listening to it as it slowly faded, until he fell asleep.

_Goodbye... I love you_ was his last conscious thought.

* * *

**that's the last of the chapters from 'Cold'... next week there'll be the survival. and they'll survive, no worries. ****thanks for sticking with me so far. after this, the updates will come once a week instead of twice a week.**

**for now just remember, vote for a title on my profile page, or please suggest your own in a review. **


	6. Chapter 5

**This is a day later than i wanted it to be, so I apologize for that. I promise that from here on in, this story will be updated on wednesdays.**

**This chapter is dedicated to William, my friend that lost his battle with cancer and its subsequent illnesses the day i wrote it. RIP 8/4/2012. I miss you.**

* * *

"Dr. Possible?"

Anne raised tired, grieving eyes to the officer in front of her.

The man lowered himself to her eye level, his elbows on his knees as he squatted.

A tear fell. "Did they... find her?" She asked, her voice breaking.

The officer nodded, and a smile formed on his lips. "Yes."

"Are they..."

"I just received word that they were rushed to Tri-City Regional."

Her mind whirled in confusion, but she took her keys and followed the man outside.

* * *

When he opened his eyes again, there was more white. It wasn't cold though, and he thought maybe he was in heaven or wherever people think they go when they die.

Except... there was that incessant beeping over his head. Heaven wasn't supposed to be that annoying.

He tried to remember anything about where he was or why... and all he could come up with was cold, darkness, and... Kim.

Panic rose in his throat. Where was she, why wasn't she with him? Oh God, did she die? She did, he was there, listening to her final breaths. The last panicked thought caused him to gag. Oh please no.

"Ron?" a soft feminine voice echoed in the room, full of concern. "Ron, sweetie, you need to calm down."

"She's dead isn't she?" he croaked, his voice sounding awful from the cold he'd suffered as well as from lack of use. "Oh God, she's dead," he mumbled, tears spilling from his eyes as he read the nurse's sad expression. "No... no no no no, please no," he gasped, somehow unable to catch his breath. The nurse reached out to touch him, but he yanked his arm away. "No!" he cried. "Leave me alone! Why didn't you let me die?! Please, just let me—"

"We can help you, son, just please calm down."

"I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP! I DON'T WANT TO LIVE! SHE DIED! LET ME DIE! _Please..."_

The nurse, heartbroken and frightened by his outburst, didn't know what to do except hold the boy while he wrestled with his grief.

"Ron, calm down," another voice, smooth and comforting, ordered him. "She's not dead." A tall woman appeared in his line of sight. Short red hair, bright blue-green eyes.

"You look like her," he breathed. And she did. This woman looked so much like Kim that it made his heart hurt a little. "Please... who are you?"

"My name," she said with a smile, "is Dr. Anne Possible. I'm Kim's mother. It's a pleasure to meet you... and I mean it, without you my daughter would be dead. They said they found evidence that you went digging for things to burn to keep her warm... and that she'd eaten. You on the other hand seemed not to have eaten anything. You gave it all to her, didn't you? Everything you had."

He nodded. Of course. She needed it more than he did.

The woman, Anne, smiled compassionately, reaching out tentatively to push his hair away from his face. "There now," she soothed. "It's okay. You both made it out okay. The snow broke away from the wall where you two were hiding, that's how the rescuers found you. You both gave us quite the scare."

"Where is she?" he asked, his voice pleading.

Her eyes saddened and she studied her hands. "She has pneumonia. Breathing is much too difficult for her at this particular moment... and she's also had to have surgery on her hip and her knee... she's in intensive care for now, intubated and sedated, until her lungs heal properly."

"Intensive care?" he echoed, feeling a bit like a parrot.

She nodded.

He stared at the ceiling, tears blurring his vision again.

"Don't... cry," the Dr. Possible whispered, her own voice shaking. "Kimmie is a fighter. She'll be okay."

That thought gave him peace. He fell asleep.

* * *

He found out over the course of the day that he'd been in the hospital for three days before he woke up. And that he wasn't in Middleton. They'd been life-flighted to Tri-City Regional Hospital, since they apparently were better equipped to handle patients with severe hypothermia than Middleton Medical Center.

He'd begged to see Kim, but the nurses wouldn't let him out of bed. In their defense, he was much too tired and sore to really go anywhere, but he insisted anyway.

"Hi," Dr. Possible smiled at him.

"How is she?" he demanded.

"The same," the older woman answered quietly. "The nurses say you've been asking to see her all day."

He nodded desperately. "Please."

She shook her head. "I promise, in a couple days, when you're stronger and she's stronger, we'll get you a wheelchair and you can see her. But she needs you to be okay, and that won't happen if you're overexerting yourself."

He sighed in defeat. She was right.

"Try to feel better okay? I promise you'll see her soon. Have any doctors been in to see you?"

He shook his head. His mind was blank, and he felt really out of it.

She tilted her head, watching his face. "Daytime television is that mind-numbing, huh?"

He laughed and nodded, and was rewarded with a brilliant smile.

"I can see about bringing you some books to read if you want... or if you perhaps want to see someone I can arrange it for you. Have your parents been in to see you?"

He shook his head, his expression sour.

"I take it you wouldn't like me to call them."

He shook his head again.

"Is there someone I can call for you?"

He stared at her for a moment. "Why... are you being so nice? It's my fault she's hurt," he whispered.

Dr. Possible shook her head. "No, Ron, dear. If she'd been alone, she would have died. But you were with her, and you took care of her. That's why she's still with us."

He finally conceded, scribbling a number on a napkin. "J-Josh. He's my... best friend," he whispered.

Dr. Possible smiled. "Okay. I will call him for you."

"Thank you," he whispered.

* * *

"Dude! Holy shit, you can't scare me like that."

"Sorry man. It's what I get for signing up for the ride of my life," Ron laughed lightly, wrapping his best friend Josh in a man-hug.

"How in the fuck did you end up where you did anyway? The resort isn't near the part of the mountain from where you were found."

He bit his lip to hide his smile. "I talked to her."

His friend looked confused. "Talked to who?" He stared at Ron for a moment then comprehension dawned on his face. "Oh... _her _her?"

"Yeah."

"Took long enough," Josh muttered. "What'd she say?"

"I sorta tagged along with her. She's... just like I thought she'd be. She laughed right along with me and introduced herself and she and I went up the mountain... on foot, you know. We hiked up... since no one would do any difficult trails with her, she decided to go find one on her own, so there are no lifts or anything, and I didn't think she should be by herself..."

"So you hiked a few thousand feet up a mountain in the snow in the bloody cold so you could... chat with the girl of your dreams." Josh smirked. "You have got it _bad._"

Ron shrugged. He knew that already. "We had plenty of time to chat _after _the avalanche," he added sourly.

Josh grew somber. "Everyone thought you two were dead. The Possibles were already planning on doing a memorial."

"I met Dr. Possible."

Josh raised an eyebrow. "Which one?"

"Um... what do you mean?"

"Dr. Possible, Kim's dad, he's a rocket scientist. And the other Dr. Possible, Kim's mom, she's a brain surgeon."

"Right, she told me that. She blames their genes for her brothers'... _misadventures_." Ron chuckled lightly as he remembered one of their many conversations. The worst thirty-six hours of his life had also been the best.

Josh smiled as he watched his friend think about his favorite redhead. It wasn't the first time Ron got lost in his thoughts of that girl. He often had to bring his friend back to reality, especially when she showed up at school wearing her mission clothes. It took a week to bring Ron back to the land of the living. He really did have it bad.

"Mrs. Dr. Possible."

"Huh?"

"You asked which Dr. Possible. I haven't met Kim's dad... but I met her mom, she's the one that offered to call you."

"Oh yeah... although I was planning on coming anyway, I saw on the news that you'd been found and I just... wanted to check up on you."

Ron smiled. "Thank you."

"Always, man. You know you can count on me."

"I know. Hey, will you check up on my sister for me?"

"Want me to bring her in?"

"That would be... fantastic. But I don't think my parents will let you take her."

"They haven't even bothered to check if you're alive or not. If she's signed out from daycare, all they'll care about is that someone took her off their hands," Josh said with a smirk. "They don't have to know _who_ signed her out."

"I'll write you something to take to the day care okay?"

"Okay." Josh fist-bumped his friend. "I'm glad you're alright, man," he said quietly.

Ron smiled up at his friend, touched by his sincerity. "I'll be out of here before you know it."

Josh nodded and left the room with a smile.

* * *

"Ronald?"

He looked up from the book Dr. Possible got him from the gift shop to see a man with dark hair, hazel eyes, and a tall, thin frame. He was wearing a light green shirt and dark tie under a white lab coat. "Um... hi," he said shyly. "C-call me Ron."

The man smiled kindly. "Ron, I'm Dr. Possible... but you can call me James, or Jim."

Oh, this was Kim's dad. Ron marked his page and sat up, offering the older man his hand.

He took it and wrapped the boy in a hug. "Thank you," he said quietly, and Ron wondered why the Possibles felt the need to thank him so much. He was only there because of some... cosmic accident or something.

He nodded anyway.

Dr. Possible, the male one, lifted a corner of his mouth in a smile. "Annie says you're bored here, and you're itching to see Kimmie."

He scowled at that. "I'm perfectly capable of getting into a wheelchair and seeing her. Why won't they let me?"

"Son... when they say you aren't strong enough... they aren't only speaking about physically, although I'm sure you'll tire yourself out before you get to the elevator if you try to push yourself."

He swallowed hard. "Is she... that bad?"

He shook his head. "She's not as bad as she looks... at least, that's what the doctors keep saying. But..." he stared at his hands, drawing a breath to steady himself. "Seeing her so... _helpless_... it's... it's very difficult."

Ron stared at his hands too. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"For what?" James asked in surprise.

"Because she's... so hurt. I... hated seeing her in pain too. I couldn't help her," he mumbled, tears blurring his vision. "She was so cold, and in pain, and all I could do was just try to keep her awake... and then that wasn't working anymore, and all I could do was just... keep her comfortable while she was dying. And then she... and all I could do was wait, because I knew I was next... and I didn't _want_ to live after watching her die."

James watched the boy speak, feeling every tear that spilled from his eyes claw at his chest. He wondered just how attached he was to Kim. If he'd been unafraid... willing, even... to die because she was dying... then he obviously had a very deep bond with her. He wondered if he had to start hiding weapons in the coat closet. Even as the thought entered his head, he dismissed it. This boy obviously had feelings that ran much deeper than they type of feelings he had to threaten with a bat or a shotgun.

"What are you thinking?" Ron asked curiously.

James shook his head. "Nothing. Just that... you taking care of my daughter is why she's here now."

"Dr. Possible said that too."

James smiled. "Dr. Possible is a smart woman."

"When can I see KP?" Ron pleaded.

James squeezed the boy's shoulder. "Soon."

* * *

"Hi honey," Anne whispered, stepping back and allowing her husband into the small space next to his daughter's bed.

He kissed his wife and turned to where his daughter slept. The ventilator puffed and whirred, and the monitors that surrounded her bed beeped, signaling something or other. Tears filled his eyes, but he blinked them away, tenderly brushing his daughter's forehead, moving a stray strand of hair or two before kissing it softly. "Hi, Kimmie-cub," he whispered.

Silence met his ears and he straightened with a sigh.

"She's better today," Anne said quietly, pointing to the screen on the ventilator. The lines, which crested and dipped at regular intervals on a normal day, looked unevenly distanced and spiky. "Each one of those crests is a breath. When the machine is breathing for her, it does it at a regular interval, a bit slowly."

The ventilator puffed as if to emphasize the point.

"Today it looks all close together and uneven and stuff because she's been trying to breathe on her own."

That was good news, James thought to himself with a smile. He watched the monitor for a few moments. Sure enough, after three perfectly spaced puffs, the line on the monitor spiked and squiggled as his daughter drew a ragged breath that resulted in a cough.

The cough itself was pitiful, since she couldn't actually cough because of the tube in her throat.

And it made tears spring to his eyes again.

Anne took his hand, and he put his arms around her as she leaned into him. "She'll be okay," she whispered, tears straining her voice.

James smiled and nodded. She was a fighter. She would fight. He had a feeling that she would fight, if for nothing else, a chance to see the boy upstairs once more. He'd thought about the blonde young man with the kind, honey colored eyes and slumped shoulders a lot today. "I met... Ron... today."

Anne smiled. "Did you? He's such a nice boy."

"That's what I'm afraid of," he muttered sarcastically. "He's... really traumatized. We should see to it that he gets psychological care, at least while he's here."

Anne sighed. "He all but had a panic attack when he woke up... he was yelling at the nurse to let him die. It took some time to calm him down." She pulled away from her husband and stared at her hands.

The ventilator squalled an alarm as Kim coughed again.

"They went through a lot, both mentally and physically. I can't imagine what it's like being trapped in such a small space, wondering when you or the person with you is going to kick the bucket. In the cold, running out of food, and ways to stay warm... and then knowing that this person that you've... shared this experience with isn't going to make it."

James nodded heavily in agreement. "And I think he's lonely."

"He misses her."

They both looked toward their daughter's bed. The ventilator and the machines beeped and puffed and whirred.

Anne drew a shaky breath. "I wish we could fast forward to the part where she's okay and smiling and talking about her latest adventures again."

James held his wife close. "Me too, Annie."

* * *

He sat up in his bed, shaking and drenched in sweat. Taking a moment to steady himself, he tried to breathe deeply. He couldn't.

One hand clutching at his throat desperately, he pressed the nurse call button. Horrible images of cold and death swirled in his mind, causing tears to spill from his eyes as he struggled to catch his breath.

A couple of nurses came and helped him calm down. They brought him a cup of iced water before they left, but he glared at it. He hated ice. He hated ice and cold and snow and—

"Are you alright, Ron?"

"Dr. Possible—what are you...?"

"I was downstairs getting coffee and a nurse paged me to let me know that you were having some trouble sleeping."

He glared at the iced water again. "I hate the cold," he said dully. "I hate cold and snow and I hate winter. And I hate this... I wish I could see her! When I wake up I always think she's..."

Anne simply hugged him. For the first time, he felt that everything would be okay.

* * *

A couple days later, a voice startled Ron from the book he was reading."Hey."

He looked up. "Hi... Lilith?"

She looked surprised. "How'd you know?"

He grinned. "KP told me all about you guys. Let's see... You're Lilith, you must be Monique."

She curtseyed. "In the flesh."

"And you're the quiet one. Paige?"

The girl nodded and smiled. She studied his face for a moment then laughed.

Ron looked confused, and Lilith rolled her eyes. "Don't mind Paige. We just wanted to meet you. They said you were with Kim when the whole thing went down..."

Ron stared at his hands.

"We... just wanted to say we're glad you're okay, and get well soon," Monique said quietly.

He smiled up at her. "Thank you."

Lilith watched him for a moment, and Paige said something in her ear. She smirked. "So spill."

He raised an eyebrow.

"How long have you liked her?"

He choked, coughing. "It's... uh... what?"

Paige grinned. "Yes it's that obvious."

He felt his cheeks flood with heat. "A while."

"Why?" Monique asked. "I mean, I've never seen you near our lunch table... or I don't think any of her classes... have you talked to her? I mean how did you come to the conclusion that you like her?"

He stared out the window. "It was the spring fling in sixth grade."

"Oh and I made Kim that dress," Monique interjected excitedly.

Ron smirked. "Yes, you did. You made her her mission clothes too." She tipped an imaginary hat and he laughed. "That mission outfit had all the guys in MAGIC drooling like dogs. I freely admit that that includes me."

The girls giggled.

He smiled at them before looking out the window again. "I didn't really notice the dress at first... the thing that hit me the most was that she's so graceful. She was dancing with someone, and then she danced with her friends... you guys, I guess, I can't be sure. But I can't ever forget watching her dance that night. And every time I saw her after that, she was always smiling. She never talked down to anyone, even people who said shit to her. She treats everyone the same. And I guess... the more I saw her around, the more I..."

They all let out a sigh. "That's so sweet," Monique cooed.

"Yeah yeah," Ron grunted, "Enough with the warm and fuzzy."

"Wait," Lilith interjected. "So you never actually talked to her in all those years?"

"Not until the day of the avalanche."

"Idiot. You could be her man by now. She'd like you."

"And she wouldn'ta had to deal with that douche bag Eric," Monique mumbled.

Ron rolled his eyes. "So you're all MAGIC girls, huh?"

They all nodded.

"Those two cheer," Lilith said, "but you wouldn't catch me dead with fucking pom-poms in my hands... and I don't feel the need to prove to the world that I can spell either."

Ron, Monique, and Paige all snickered. "Kim will be so pleased to know how highly you think of what she does."

Lilith smiled softly, staring out the window. "What Kim does is art." Kind blue eyes met his. "You were right about her being graceful. She could be standing perfectly still and she still looks like a model off the runway in Paris or some shit. But watching her do all her tricks and flips and splits and moves and shit is nothing short of dazzling. She's the reason MAGIC wins all the time at cheer Nationals and such."

He smiled at that. It was true.

"Bitches be jellin on her too. She don't gotta try to be pretty or stay in shape or whatever. She just herself, an' she modest about it. Girls hate that shit." He had to chuckle at the way Monique spoke.

"Yeah. Bonnie's been looking for a way to make her fall from grace for ages now. Kim... ignores it. She treats her and her little friends just the same as she treats the rest of us. Well... she tells them off a bit more often. But whatever. Bonnie wishes she had half the... _magnetism_... that Kim has. She'd run the school."

Ron met Lilith's eyes again. "I think Kim is tired of Bonnie and company. She told me she was tired of Bonnie... trampling her dignity."

Paige's eyes lit up with understanding. "If there's one thing about Kim, it's that she can hold a grudge if she wants to." She turned to the other two girls. "She said that because she knows about Bonnie and Eric."

"I've told her a million times to stop wasting her energy on Eric, but I think she likes being angry at him."

"I knew 'bout her and Eric," Monique said. "I been waiting for Kim to let me pound that hoe..."

"She won't let you do that," Ron chuckled. "Besides, I think she's rather proud of all her teen-hero kung-fu. She'd rather beat the crap out of Bonnie herself, if it came down to that."

"True dat."

"Have you guys gotten to see her?"

"Um... Moni and I went yesterday. Lilith went this morning."

"How is she?"

"Improving, they say. She's fighting the breathing thing, so they might take it out soon. She breathes on her own the machine says like ninety-five percent of the time now. They are scaling back the sedatives to wake her up so that they can take it out."

Ron stared at his hands. "I want to see her so bad... they keep telling me to wait."

Monique got a rather aggressive look on her face. "Don't worry. _I'll_ talk to 'em."

* * *

Whatever Monique said to the nurses worked, because as soon as they left, someone arrived to take him down stairs to Kim's room.

The elevator ride was long and tedious, and then the door dinged and opened to reveal Dr. Possible. The lady Dr. Possible. "Hi Ron."

"Hi, Anne." He called her by her first name, but he still referred to her husband as Dr. Possible. Maybe it was because he had a feeling Kim's dad was on to him.

Anne smiled, taking the wheel chair from the man. "I'll take it from here, thank you. How do you feel?"

"Okay. Getting my strength back. Doctors say I can go home in a couple days."

"That's wonderful." She stopped the chair and came around to face him. "Ron... I know this has affected you very deeply."

He raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"And I've told you a couple times that she's not as bad as she looks..."

"Look... Anne—Dr. Possible... I'm not a little kid. Just say it to me straight."

"I just want you to be prepared, that's all."

"And I just want to see her. Please."

Anne nodded.

As much as she'd warned him, nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. Her left arm was in a cast. She was naked, covered only by the white hospital blankets and the tubes and wires that seemed to protrude from _everywhere:_ There were wires attached to her chest and IV lines came from her functioning arm. One of them was the purest white. The others were clear. One transparent tube contained an antibiotic, and the other contained regular saline. Her leg, still healing from all the surgery, was wrapped in gauze and a brace.

There were tubes in her mouth too, and her nose. There was all kinds of beeping and whirring and the ventilator puffed away.

He gagged, stumbling from the wheelchair and into the bathroom. Anne rubbed his back while he heaved. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Eventually he made his way back to the room. Anne pulled up a chair near the bed and helped him into it. He took her good hand in his, rubbing circles on it gently. Her hand was cold. "You must be cold still," he whispered, his voice raw.

Her eye lids fluttered, and an alarm sounded.

He ignored it, not wanting to get his hopes up. "I'm so sorry," he said quietly. "I'm sorry you're so sick."

Pressure in his hand. She could hear him. A huge grin spread over his face and his flimsy restraint on his emotions snapped as he stood, ignoring his body's protests as he leaned as close to her as he could. "You're going to be okay," he said in her ear as tears wet his face. "I love you," he added in a whisper, before kissing her forehead.

Anne looked on in silence. She didn't know what he'd said to her there at the end, but her reaction was evident on her heart monitor. That boy made her heart skip as much as she did his...


	7. Chapter 6

"You have a visitor," the guard said flatly, his expression bored.

She wondered who could be visiting her. After all, the only person who bothered to care about her since she'd gone to prison was dead.

A fresh wave of grief ripped through her chest, but she pushed herself through the cell door anyway, turning toward the visitation area.

"Actually, it's this way," the guard said, and she let him push the wheelchair... toward the warden's office?

She wondered what she did wrong this time. She didn't care... solitary wasn't a punishment for her. It was a blessing. She could suffer alone, and no one would be around to remind her that she was completely desolate on this planet now. She'd wondered a couple times over the past two weeks if she should use up her ticket out of here... death. Maybe she would today, if they put her in the hole.

"Shego."

She raised an eyebrow. She hadn't heard that name in ages. It was her code name in GJ. When not on a mission everyone just called her Sherri. "What do you want, Dr. Director?" she snapped.

"Shego—"

"My name is Sherri. Shego is a name I used in a job I don't have anymore. If you came here just to rub that in my face I think I'm going back to my cell now."

"Wait... Sherri, I'm sorry."

Sorry? She raised an eyebrow again. Betty Director _never_ apologized. Ever.

"I came to talk to you about Kim."

Sherri shook her head. "I don't want to talk about her. Take me back to my cell, _please_."

"Sherri, she's alive. They found her and her classmate... they were rushed to the hospital."

Her vision blurred and her mind whirled. Betty was lying. It was a cruel joke, a punishment for the lives she took. Kim was dead, she read it in the paper. Kim was dead. She was gone forever. It wasn't true.

"Sherri, it's not a lie," the director said gently.

Sherri looked up into the older woman's face, and she felt a glimmer of hope rise in her chest. She crushed it instantly. "I don't believe you."

"Suit yourself," she shrugged. "I spoke with her mother today. She is in intensive care... she had a severe case of pneumonia and had to be intubated. But she is awake and they removed the tubes today. She seems to be doing well. If she can handle being without it they will transfer her out of ICU at the end of the week."

She stared blankly at the director. "Are you... sure?"

She nodded.

"I... need to see... _please._ I don't care if you lock me up and I never see the light of day again. I don't care if I have to wear chains and a god-awful orange jumpsuit... just let me see her."

The warden cleared his throat. "The transport is being arranged now."

"Huh?" She didn't think it would be this easy.

Betty smiled. "Kim noticed on one of her visits that you did not have any next of kin listed, and she let us know that if it was okay with you, she'd sign on. All you have to do is sign the dotted line stating that she's your next of kin..."

She picked up the pen and scribbled on the line before the older woman was even done speaking. She would get to see Kim... that was what mattered.

* * *

Kim stared at the ceiling. Unfortunately her parents had to work now, their leaves had ended. Ron had been released from the hospital on Sunday, but he had a life and could only visit a few hours in the afternoon. Nana had been here... she visited plenty, but she'd had to fly home to Florida again, so she was alone for the time being. Her throat and entire upper body felt like they were on fire. Each time she coughed, it caused searing pain all over. She hated it. She couldn't even speak enough to ask for something for the pain.

A physical therapist and a surgeon had started to come in, checking up on her leg and trying to start her moving it around. It was painful, and she gritted her teeth as tears leaked from her eyes. She couldn't even tell them to stop.

"Oh God," a voice whispered from the doorway.

She looked toward it and her eyes widened. "Sherri!" she squeaked, her throat protesting.

"Fuck sake, Princess, you can be quiet and let _me_ do the talking for a change."

They both chuckled softly as an armed man pushed her wheelchair into the room and turned to stand guard outside.

Kim looked her over. 'You look like hell,' she mouthed.

Sherri shrugged. "I learned something these past couple weeks."

'Oh?'

"Be careful what you wish for... 'cause you just might get it." Her shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry, Princess. I know I... what I did was... but you still cared about me. And I still wanted you to just go the fuck away. And then you were _dead_... and I couldn't believe I pushed away the only person that really—"

"Stop," Kim ordered, trying not to wince as her throat screamed in pain.

"Shut the fuck up and let me talk, Possible."

'It's not your fault I got in an accident. It was bound to happen.' She lifted her good shoulder. 'You know me. I'll be back on the slopes this winter.'

Sherri chuckled. "I have no doubt." She squeezed Kim's hand gently. "You're... the closest friend I've ever had. Thank you."

Kim smiled at her, squeezing her hand back. 'I'll come visit as soon as I can. And I'll bring Ron... you have to meet him.'

"You'll bring who, now?"

'Ron,' Kim repeated. 'He's... he's...'

Sherri smirked. "Oh, he's a new boy toy?"

'More than that,' she said earnestly. 'He saved my life.'

"Then I do have to meet him," she murmured. "I'll let you rest now, okay?"

'Stay,' Kim pleaded. 'This place is boring as hell!'

Sherri laughed at that. "I know the feeling."

They chatted for a while before Sherri let out a sigh. "This is my cue, Princess."

Kim's eyes watered a little. 'Thank you for coming here... I know that wasn't easy to swing.'

Sherri shrugged. "Take care of yourself and fuck sake, stay out of trouble."

Kim laughed, coughing. 'I will,' she choked out.

They squeezed hands tightly, each of them wishing they could hug the other. Then Sherri wheeled herself toward the door, and the armed guards took her away.

* * *

"Hey, KP," Ron breathed the next day. He was relieved to see that she was in fairly good spirits, all things considered. She waved, smiling as he kissed her forehead. He sat next to her, rubbing circles on her hand with his thumb. "How do you feel, Sweetheart?"

She lifted a shoulder. 'Mostly bored. In pain. But alive.'

"Coughed a lot today?" he asked, noting that she wasn't trying to speak.

'Throat ferociously sore,' she complained in response. 'Respiratory therapists don't let me sleep.'

His eyebrows wrinkled in sympathy. "I'm sorry."

She shrugged again, but then she brightened. 'Hana?'

"Brilliant," he answered happily. Josh did bring her around to the hospital the day before he was released, and he sat with her for a long time, reading to her and such. "I hear they're moving you into the extended stay wing soon."

She stared out the window. 'Joy.'

"KP... you're going to get better, you know."

'I know.'

"Then why aren't you happy about this?"

She glowered at her hand. 'I miss the sun. I want real food. I miss talking to my friends whenever I want... I miss having things to do. I miss the air... it's so stuffy in here,and I always feel like I'm choking. I feel like I'm in prison.' She let out a defeated and frustrated huff, which ended in a coughing fit.

He sighed. It wasn't the first time she expressed that kind of frustration. It made him sad to see her like this.

'The therapists come now, to _help my leg get strong_.' She scoffed. 'They are irritating and the therapy is fucking painful, and I can't even speak to tell them to go the fuck away.' Tears spilled from her eyes. 'I don't want an _extended _stay. I want to go home.'

"They are just trying to help, Sweetheart."

She sighed. 'I know.'

He wanted to hug her, but he knew that would just cause her pain. He kissed her hand instead. "Look at me."

She did.

"These next weeks are going to suck. They are going to give you treatments for your breathing, for your leg... it could be months until you're on your own two feet again."

She gritted her teeth. 'You think I don't know that?'

"I know you know that. I also know that you want to go home. Look at me," he all but growled when she looked away, disinterested. "You aren't giving up. You're going to push yourself until it's over. You won't stop pushing until you're home, fully recovered and ready to move on. You're Kim Possible. You can do this. You can and you will."

She glared at him for a long time, and he glared right back. Eventually she looked away. "Don't leave me," she croaked.

He smiled crookedly. "We're in this together KP. I'm not going anywhere. Now I have a surprise for you... but it's a secret. The doctor said he wanted you to start trying to eat some stuff..."

'They brought me Jell-o today,' she complained. 'Awful, sugar-free hospital Jell-o."

He tsked. "No, you need real food, remember?" He reached into his back pack and pulled out a container of mashed potatoes. "Hungry?"

Her eyes widened, and he swore he saw her tongue dart out of her mouth to keep it from watering. He chuckled. "Don't get too hasty. It's just half a scoop to see how it settles in your stomach. And your throat hurts, and this might still be thick to swallow. If it doesn't work tomorrow I'll bring you soup."

She didn't care. She was _hungry_. And he had _food._ Warm mashed potatoes that were still steamy they were so fresh. Her mouth watered again.

He slowly fed her tiny spoonfuls until she ate it all. She was grateful he knew how to make it so that the bites weren't so big they hurt to swallow. And it was delicious. It was so delicious. She savored every bite as if it were her last, and then when it really was her last, she almost cried.

Ron shook his head. "I'll bring more later on, okay?" She smiled brilliantly in response and he smiled. "I'm glad I made you happy today."

She reached for his hand, squeezing it. 'Thank you.'

"Always, Sweetheart. Always."

* * *

The next day, she waved goodbye to the ICU nurses as they wheeled her down the hall to an elevator. She got a bit dizzy in the elevator, but thankfully it dinged and opened, revealing a hallway that seemed endless. They pushed her through it to another hallway, and then she finally reached the extended stay ward. The room was spacious, with two couches and a large flat-screen television. It had shelves for her clothes and make-up, and the bathroom was stocked with a toothbrush, toothpaste, facial wash, shampoo and conditioner, and other things she would need. She definitely felt less trapped here.

She was also told that the couches folded out into beds, and that the visitation hours weren't limited here like they were in ICU. She could have as many people as she wanted, whenever she wanted. Extended stay might not be that bad, after all.

She turned on the television, absently flipping through channels until an aghast Ron burst into her room. "KP! Oh God, I thought something happened... you weren't in your room and they didn't tell even your parents that they moved you..." he pulled out his phone. "I guess I'd better let them know where you are. I'm glad you're okay..."

She reached for him with her good arm, and he went happily into her embrace. "Feeling good today?"

She nodded but then she pouted. "Got any more mashed potatoes?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "Your voice sounds better today." Her voice sounded raw and kind of manly, but at least she was speaking.

"I doesn't hurt so bad... when I'm not coughing anyway."

"How's your leg?"

"Sore."

He squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry."

She let out a half-cough, half-chuckle, wincing at the soreness in her chest and throat. "Why do you keep apologizing to me?"

"I'm not apologizing... I just hate seeing you in pain."

She tugged him down, kissing his cheek. "I'm okay."

His smile lit up the room. His gaze was so warm that it made heat rise in her cheeks. She remembered kissing him in the hole in the snow, and how she suddenly felt—

"You okay, Sweetheart?"

She shook her head to dispel her thoughts, smiling up at him.

"Kim?"

They both looked up to the door to find a young woman, dressed in comfy looking scrub pants and a tee shirt. Kim's expression went from shyly happy to two hairs short of murderous.

Ron looked confused. "Um.. hi. You are...?"

"Oh my name is Mary, I'm Kim's physical therapist."

"Oh," he mumbled, reading Kim's expression. "Can we have a minute first?"

"Sure," Mary smiled, also reading the redhead's face. "Whenever you're ready, I'll be outside."

"Thanks."

Kim glared daggers at the door, and Ron watched her sympathetically. "KP?"

She turned her fiery gaze on him.

He leaned down, brushing her hair behind her ear. "You can do this, remember?"

She nodded, shivering as the action caused his lips to brush the shell of her ear.

"She isn't the enemy here," he said gently, pulling back to look into her eyes. He gave her a crooked grin. "Besides, I might have something for you to eat tomorrow if you don't scare the nice lady." She beamed at that, and he chuckled. "That's my girl. I'll be here with you, okay?"

Apprehension shadowed her features as Mary reentered the room. "How do you feel today, sweetheart?"

"Kim," she corrected, her voice irritated. "I'm sore," she added, staring at her hand.

"Okay... well it looks like you're healing well from your knee surgery," she said, gently examining Kim's leg. "Your hip is looking great too. Lets see if we can't run through some exercises to get your strength up in that leg, okay? We want you to be up and about as soon as possible," she said lightly.

Kim gritted her teeth as the therapist began talking her through a series of movements designed, in her opinion, to inflict the maximum amount of pain in the most efficient manner.

Ron never said a word, he simply held her hand, or helped her shift or lean into him when she needed to rest or start a new exercise. After what seemed like an eternity, but was really only twenty minutes, Mary congratulated Kim on a job well done and quietly let herself out.

"Sweetheart?"

She didn't unclench her jaw.

"KP, it's over now."

"No... it's not. It hurts."

He tentatively reached out and lightly massaged her injured leg until he felt her relax. "Better?"

She nodded. "Thank you," she whispered.

He kept rubbing her leg soothingly, being careful not to hurt her stitches or move her leg, which would cause her more pain. "You must be tired. I know it took a lot out of you."

"It always does."

"You can do it," he reminded her.

"I know," she said softly.

He kissed her forehead. "You're so strong," he said softly.

She huffed, and tears leaked from her eyes. "I don't feel strong."

"You are," he said, lifting her chin with his finger. "You're strong enough to do this. You're the strongest person I know."

She smiled through her tears at him.

He grabbed a tissue and gently dried her tears. "Want to watch a movie?"

She shrugged, looking out the window. "It's raining," she said quietly.

He looked out too. "It will be sleet tonight, probably."

"I've always wondered what it would be like..." she mumbled to herself, staring vacantly at the gloom outside.

"What what would be like?"

She flushed, looking at him sheepishly. "Nothing I just—"

"Tell me," he interrupted, an intrigued smile on his face. What had caused her to blush like that?

"It's silly," she mumbled, her face turning a deeper red.

"I won't laugh, I promise."

She looked out the window again. "Kiss in the rain," she said quietly. "I always wondered how it would feel to kiss in the rain."

Ron watched her look out the window. _One day I'll show you,_ he thought to himself.

* * *

She was just wrapping up with the respiratory therapist when Lilith walked into the room. "Hey."

"Hi," she smiled. Another week had passed, and her voice was mostly back to normal even though she still coughed a lot.

"Paige and Monique are coming in too."

"Huh?"

Lilith grinned. "It's December twenty-third. We're having a Christmas party tonight. It's tradition."

Tears sprung to Kim's eyes as Lilith put a tiny Christmas tree on the window sill and hung a string of multicolored Christmas lights.

Lilith placed a small box next to the tiny tree.

"I don't have anything for you guys," Kim whispered.

Lilith's blue eyes studied her friend. She gently lowered herself onto the edge of the bed, taking Kim's hand in both of hers. "You are _here_," she said, quietly, her voice full of emotion. "That is more than enough for us."

"Heyy," Monique called as she bustled in, carrying several bags. One of them was a gift bag, and she dropped it near the tree on the ground and added a tiny little box to the window sill. Paige, quiet as usual, slipped into the room and deposited her presents before sending Kim a friendly smile.

Kim watched them chatter as they set up food and presents and decorations. She was enjoying the atmosphere. It made her feel normal.

"Okay, tradition time. Presents and movies. I have the regulars_. Nightmare Before Christmas, Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas, _and _It's a Wonderful Life._" Lilith reached into her bag and pulled out two DVDs. Then she reached back into her bag. "Oh, Ron sent this, too. Oh, and your folks, they sent two, one from them and one from your Nana."

"So did Wade!" Monique piped up, reaching into her bag as well. They deposited more boxes with pretty bows near the tree.

"All of those are for me?"

"Of course," Paige said quietly, sitting close to her friend.

"Yeah, Duh, Possible. Who else would they be for?"

She rolled her eyes. "You guys didn't get anything for each other?"

"That's not for you to worry about. It's a party, damn it."

"Okay, okay. We're partying," Kim chuckled. "I miss you guys," she said quietly.

They all wrapped her in a group hug that, although painful for her hip, was comforting.

"Now stop being so sappy," Lilith chided her. "We're here, and you're here, and this wouldn't be a party without you Possible, so get your Christmas freak on."

She laughed, and the girls chatted and munched on treats, giggling until after dark. They each took turns in the bathroom changing into their pajamas.

"Wait..."

"Tradition," Paige smirked, pulling out the folding bed in the couch.

Kim just shook her head.

At around nine, Ron dropped in. "Wow, you guys are partying with out me?" he looked around before kissing Kim's forehead affectionately.

She giggled. "Girls only, sorry."

"Alright, I can take a hint," Ron chuckled. "I'm happy you're happy, Sweetheart," he said softly. "I hope you like your present."

She looked over to the tree, where the size of the presents dwarfed the small fake plant. "We haven't gotten around to opening them yet. We were talking and watching movies and such."

"Painting nails and waxing eyebrows too?" He said with an expression that made the girls laugh. "I'm so out of here," he muttered. "Catch you later, KP." He brushed her cheek tenderly, and she smiled up at him.

"Take care," she whispered.

"You too," he answered. With a wave at the other three girls, he was gone.

"He's so sweet," Lilith said.

Paige just smiled warmly in the direction he'd gone.

Monique watched her friend for a minute. "You into him too, ain't you?"

"I don't want to have this conversation," Kim mumbled. "Can we just open the presents?"

Paige smiled knowingly and stood, grabbing several boxes and placing them on Kim's bed. She handed her one. "From Wade. Open it first."

She needed help with it, since her left arm was in a cast, but she grinned triumphantly when a sleek, shiny, teal-blue device was revealed. A logo with her initials was engraved onto the back of it, as well as the top right corner of the screen. There were arrow buttons on the bottom left and a circular one in the center of them, and two buttons on the bottom right. One was red, and the other was white. She pressed the white button, and the logo with her initial appeared on the screen. Then there was a menu. She scrolled though it, loving how easy it was to use. A list of contacts appeared, and she scrolled though it, too.

"Wade?"

"Hey Kim," he smiled. "I see you got your Christmas present."

"I love it," she grinned. "I missed it."

"I'm sorry it took so long. I had to upgrade and update some programs... you know the drill. This Kimmunicator is a bit different. First, as you can see, it's a lot thinner and more modern-looking. Also, your menu options are a bit clearer. Tomorrow I'll call you and get your voice print loaded into it... it's voice activated too, so you can tell it call people or whatever. It'll also recognize a safe word in case you can't reach the panic button, and we'll program that tomorrow too. Also, I put out an app for the Kimmunicator. Most of your friends and your family have downloaded it already. You can video-chat with them a lot easier now. They are all in your contacts."

She beamed.

"Of course, I'll also run through all the gadgets and plug ins with you tomorrow."

"Have I told you that you rock?"

He winked. "Not today."

She laughed. "Thank you."

"Enjoy it, Kim. Oh, and one more thing... hey Lilith, have you given it to her yet?"

"No!" she jumped up and grabbed a box along with a series of tiny boxes. "Here," she handed Kim a teal-blue box with a candy-cane stripe ribbon. "This is from all of us. Open the big one first."

She did as she was told, and revealed a small silver chain. "What is it?" she asked, puzzled.

"A bracelet."

Kim reached for the tiny box being handed to her. It matched the larger one. In it was a tiny silver disk charm with her logo engraved on it. The back of the disk was... a computer chip?

"It's a GPS chip," Wade explained. "When your Kimmunicator got smashed in the avalanche, I couldn't get your coordinates. I figured I should have insurance for the next time I lose contact with you."

She rolled her eyes but smiled, clipping the little charm onto the bracelet as he signed off with a chuckle.

The next tiny box was from Paige, colored a deep wine with a gold ribbon. It was a silver megaphone that read 'All Star' in the school colors. She clipped it onto the bracelet too.

The next one, a tiny black box with a heart-and-crossbone ribbon contained a half heart that read 'Friends.' Frowning in confusion, she looked up at Lilith. She simply held up a chord around her neck. On it was the other half, and it read 'Best'. Kim's eyes misted.

Monique's little pink box contained a little high heel. She had to laugh at that as she added it on to the bracelet.

"Your parents sent these," Lilith explained as she handed Kim two more little charm boxes. The first one contained a bright silver phoenix, with its wings spread. The second contained a silver star.

"Ron," Paige said quietly, handing her the last box.

Kim opened it and her eyes widened. There were two charms in this box. The first was a bright green Swarovski crystal, in the shape of a heart. The second one had two mini pastel hearts that she recognized as conversation hearts. One said 'sweet' and the other said 'heart' and she smiled widely as she clipped Ron's charms onto her bracelet.

She smiled, adding those to her bracelet.

"He really likes you, girl."

Her cheeks tinged pink, but she said nothing.

Lilith smirked. "You're totally into him, aren't you? He's cute, too."

"Alright, fine. I like him a lot, okay? And I already know how he feels... And this topic is closed for discussion!"

Paige smiled her all knowing smile.

"He is perfect for you," Monique insisted.

"_Closed_. For discussion," she hissed.

"Alright, alright," Lilith chuckled. "But he is cute though."

"Ugh!"

* * *

**quick note! don't forget to vote for your favorites on my profile. there are a lot of suggestions up there, you guys can pick your top three. the winning phrase will be the title of the story and the person who suggested it (not myself or Levi) will get teasers from the second and third installments of the series.**

**happy voting :)**


	8. Chapter 7

Her brothers had added charms to her bracelet too. They also brought her an annoying prank, saying that she had been naughty this year with a chuckle. She just rolled her eyes; she didn't have the energy to threaten them with bodily harm.

She felt sad that she hadn't been able to get anyone anything. Especially Ron. She really wanted to show him how much she appreciated his support...

Now it was New Years Eve, and she was watching the ball drop on TV. She was alone; her family had decided to let her rest since the day had been a particularly grueling one for her. Her hip still caused her a lot of pain, and she failed to see any progress in the torture they called _therapy_.

"Hello."

She looked up. "It's a holiday you know," she smirked. "Do you ever take a break?"

"Evil never sleeps, never takes a break, never goes on vacation..."

"How are you, Betty?"

"Glad to see you."

She smirked again. "What's the sitch?"

The older woman laughed. "I don't think I should answer that question until your doctors clear you." She looked serious. "You work too hard."

Kim shook her head. "I love what I do. There's no such thing as working too hard at something you love."

"You still think that after what happened last year?"

"Yes. That was a fluke. I don't think anyone was prepared for Sherri to double-cross us like that, and I don't think even Sherri expected things to get that hairy. It's a risk everyone takes on every mission. Part of the job or whatever." She stared at her hand again. "Is Sherri doing okay?"

"She's changing I think... slowly. She um... I hear asks about you often."

"I thought she hated me after..."

"But you never changed your opinion of her."

"Nope." She smiled. "I like her. She's... she keeps me on my toes."

"You're right about that last part," Betty Director muttered. "She's getting her fire back."

"I'm glad. I like her better when she's a bitch." Kim smiled as she studied her hand.

"And I like you better when you're in one piece." Betty's hand reached into her line of sight, taking her hand. "You're going to be the next director, you know."

She shook her head. "I'm too young. I need more experience, more—"

"You have more experience in your short life than I've had in the last twenty-five years of my career. You'll need some training of course..."

"I'm not sure this is what I want."

"There's no one else to do it."

"I like saving the world. I like _living_ the adventures. I like the contact with the people I help. I wasn't made to sit behind a desk. And you know that."

"Kim, every special agent in Global Justice would kill to be offered what I'm offering you."

She scoffed, beginning to get irritated. "A chance to tell other people to do my dream job from behind my desk in some high rise posh building or underground headquarters? I pass. But thanks."

Just then, the door opened and in walked in a very frustrated-looking Ron. In his arms was a pink bundle and on his shoulder, a black and pink bag.

"Ron?" She asked, confused and alarmed. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

"Fight with the parental unit," he explained. "I shouldn't be surprised really. I've never had a non-stressful holiday—who are you?"

"Um.. Ron, this is Dr. Director."

He untangled his hand from the baby and stretched it out to her. "Ron Stoppable, pleased to meet you." Kim could tell he worked extra hard to keep his voice light.

"Likewise," Dr. Director answered quietly.

He looked around for a moment, then settled his eyes on Kim. "Can you hold her a moment? Um... actually, I was kinda hoping I could crash here tonight."

"Ron, how did you even get here?" she wondered, holding out her good arm.

He sat down on the bed, kissing Kim's forehead as usual before carefully placing the little girl in her arms. "Okay?"

She nodded, smiling up at him. "I'm glad you're here," she said softly.

He smiled and brushed her cheek. Then he set up the pull out bed. The director excused herself, wishing them both a more pleasant holiday.

Kim glared daggers at the doorway and Ron chuckled. "Not having a great day either are you?"

She sighed in relief. "It's better now that she's gone. She... was talking to me about training to be the next director."

"Really? Wow that's... quite an opportunity."

"I don't want it."

His eyebrows climbed. "Really?"

"Betty Director receives reports. She debriefs, disciplines, assigns... but she doesn't do what I love to do the most: she doesn't _help people_. She doesn't _live_. Not how I want to live, anyway."

He smirked. "You like living life on the edge."

She grinned sheepishly. "I really do. The first thing I'm doing when I get out of here is some sky-diving. I'm getting rusty."

"Sky diving?" Ron stopped what he was doing and looked up.

"Yes. I like free-falling. I like cliff-diving, bungee jumping, sky diving, base jumping, high diving... and I like sneaking into places through vent systems, so I use those things a lot on missions." She rolled her eyes. "You would think that after the fiftieth time getting arrested by the tiny redhead chick that jumped out of the ceiling and kicked your ass, that you'd wise up and put security in the vents."

Ron shook his head and finished getting baby Hana out of her coat and thick blankets. He set her down on the newly made bed. She cooed and giggled as he tickled her tummy gently. "Who's a boo-bah?" he asked quietly, and she giggled again, echoing his sounds in her baby babble.

Kim smiled at the tenderness of the moment. "She's beautiful."

He beamed. "She's seven and a half months old now. She toddles, and she giggles, and she's everywhere and my parents hate it. I argued with them because she tipped over someone's drink. She was gunna fall and she reached for the table, and I think it was mom's wine that tipped. Serves her right," he ended in a mutter. His face darkened with anger. "I only heard the yelling and the baby crying... mom was... _spanking_ her. Hard."

Kim's expression was dangerous. "She was _hitting_ her?"

"Kim—"

"Ron, when are you going to let me deal with this?"

"I don't _need _you to deal with anything! I can take care of my sister myself!"

She glared at him for a moment and then she looked down. "Forgive me for caring about you and your little sister... I won't ask again."

"KP, don't do that. I'm... sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you. I just can't burden you with all that right now. I really just want to see you home and better, moving around on your own and... I promise right now I can fend for myself. Just focus on you, okay?"

She let out a humorless chuckle. "You have no idea how hard that is to do. I don't handle me-time well. Once... I was supposed to hang out with Lili, but she had plans with her cousin so we canceled... and then I couldn't find anyone who wasn't busy... even the bad guys were too busy having a life to try anything stupid. All my connections to disaster relief told me everything was quiet, I couldn't even get my folks to sit down and play a board game. Even my annoying brothers were off blowing up some shit! Can you believe that?! It was the longest Friday night of my life."

He moved from the bed, sitting down next to her and taking her hand. "You like being around others, you like taking care of people, you like being out and being fast paced and always going... I get that. But right now, you can't. I know that irks you, Sweetheart, but I don't want to be the thing you do to keep yourself entertained. When we're _both_ ready, I promise I'll do what you want." He sighed. "I'm not ready and you've got enough stress of your own."

"We promised, remember?" She whispered. "No more."

"I remember," he said, kissing her hand.

"Good because the next time anyone lays a hand on her, I'm doing it whether you want or not. I am not above hurting your feelings to save your sister."

He raised his hands in surrender. "If it happens again, you'll know about it."

"You're damn right I will. I have my secret weapon."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Wade. He has the whole world wired. He's like Santa Claus, only without the presents."

Ron laughed and shook his head, before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'm going to get ready for bed okay?"

"Okay," she smiled. "Give her to me so she doesn't fall."

He carefully placed the Hana on the bed with Kim and then stepped into the room's bathroom with a his clothes and took a towel off the rack. He stripped down while the shower warmed up and when it was steamy, he stepped in.

His mind went unwillingly to earlier in the day. He had been in his room when he heard his sister start to cry. When he arrived on the scene he found some sort of drink spilled all over his mother, shattered glass, and Hana. Being hit with one of his mom's skinny belts, on the back of her legs.

Without thinking, he shoved his mother off his sister. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He hissed as the child buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing.

"The little brat spilled my drink!"

"So you're whipping her with a belt?! She's seven months old, for fuck sake."

"She deserves it!"

"No, she doesn't," he'd growled, "and if you ever touch her like that again I _will_ call the police."

"I am her mother," she'd responded coldly. "And you just assaulted me. I could call the police on you."

"Do it," he dared her, "and I'll show them the marks on her legs."

She was silent.

He took his sister into her room, angrily shoving some clothes, diapers, and other essentials into a bag before carefully wrapping his sniffling sister in a coat and a warm blanket. "We're leaving."

"You're not to leave this house, Ronald!"

He'd simply glared, carrying his sister and her bag to the back door and slamming it shut. He'd ended up at Josh's house, but Josh said he could only stay for a while because his parents were due. He set Hana, who had calmed down and fallen asleep, on Josh's bed, and the two had finished up his chores in silence. Josh gave him money for the bus, and he took that down to the hospital. He hoped Kim wouldn't be too busy to have him with her.

As it turned out, she was the exact opposite of busy. She was alone, and maybe a little lonely. He resolved to stay the night more often.

Finishing his shower, he stepped out and toweled off, slipping into his boxers and pajama pants. Slipping into his t-shirt, he studied himself in the mirror. He shouldn't have snapped at her. She was just worried.

The girl worried about everything, he mused to himself as he brushed his teeth. She would worry about Hana. He hoped KP didn't see the angry welts. Hana bruised easily, and those marks would mar her soft skin for a long time. He was sure that Kim would freak.

He would maybe bring her flowers tomorrow. He was broke though, and he still had to get home. Ugh.

"Oh hey you're back," Kim whispered with a smile. "Hana is asleep."

He took her and placed her gently on the bed before taking a seat next to Kim. "What's on?"

"Oh, just watching the ball drop. I've seen it live before... I was in New York, after another mission, and they asked me and a couple GJ guys to stay and organize security. Brought the fam in too. It was fun."

He watched her reminisce about her family and sadness filled him. He hadn't felt like that in a long time, since his only friend had family problems too. But the girl of his dreams had the family of his dreams, and he suddenly felt incredibly inadequate.

"Ron?"

"Hmm?" he snapped out of his sad thoughts and looked up at her.

"C-can I ask you something?"

"Sure," he said, studying her. She looked kind of lost and maybe really embarrassed that she was about to ask... something.

"Why... why don't you kiss me anymore?"

He was sure his surprise showed on his face. That was totally random. He studied his hands before speaking. "I guess... I guess I just thought you didn't want it. I mean, I told you how I feel but you... never said anything back... and I sorta just thought maybe I should back off."

"Oh... okay," she said in relief. "I thought it was that you didn't like me anymore because of all this," she gestured to her mangled left side.

He snorted. "I was there when you broke it, remember? It's not like I'm seeing you for the first time and you're like this. And it's not like you maimed yourself pretending to be superman or something else stupid or psychotic."

"Will—never mind," she whispered. Her face flushed bright red and she looked down.

He chuckled, reading from her expression what she wanted to ask. "You need someone to kiss for the new year huh?"

She flushed even more. "Maybe not _just_ for the new year."

In the background, the ball drop had begun._ "Ten... nine... eight... seven... six..."_

He leaned toward her, brushing her hair away from her face "Happy new year," he whispered. He brushed her lips lightly before meeting them. And suddenly, he couldn't get enough.

When they finally broke apart, there was confetti on the TV, and people were cheering. Music was playing, and fireworks were exploding into brilliant colorful display, their powerful bursts echoing the thundering in his chest.

"Happy new year," she said quietly, a beautiful smile on her face.

* * *

Her parents and brothers had come to see her. Her cheer squad had sent her a video. Her therapist brought her chocolate cake. Her doctors examined her hip, and her therapist came back to torture her more. She'd watched two movies and part of a crime-show marathon about two kick-ass best friends that solved murders for the Boston Police Department. They were funny, and the detective reminded her of Lilith. The other friend (she was a coroner) reminded Kim of like a ditzy genius blonde version of Monique.

She did some of the less painful exercises on her own again when she got bored. She read a magazine, called and talked to Sherri, and slept when she was tired.

She had yet to hear from Ron. He took off early in the morning to get his baby sister bathed and fed and such. They both knew his folks were going to be angry when he got home, and he wanted to just get it over with. So, with a wink and a sweet kiss, he bundled them up and promised he call and let her know how everything was. He hadn't called, and he hadn't come.

She eventually fell asleep, and when she woke up it was the next day. More nurses, more therapy, more television. More boredom, more exhaustion, more pain and coughing... he still didn't call. He didn't call and he didn't come.

More reading, more visitors... no Ron.

Around six, she reached her limit. "Wade?"

"Hey Kim. How are you feeling?"

"Okay. I need you to find Ron for me alright? I... I don't think he's okay."

"Sure... I'm trying his cell now." he typed for a minute, and she was patched through to a voicemail box. "No response, Wade."

"Weird. I'm tracing his phone to his house. Searching surveillance in all tri-city traffic as well as public and private surveillance." he typed for a few minutes. "My FRS isn't finding him anywhere. I've seen his folks around. No sign of him or Hana though."

"Wade, you have to find him... _please."_

"I'm on it Kim. Going to get help from some... _sources_... and post some A/V surveillance around his house. I'll get back to you when I have a lead."

"Thank you..."

"You're always welcome. Try not to worry, okay? Focus on getting better and I'll take care of this."

"Okay," she breathed, relieved. Then she grew serious. "Wade, there's something you need to know. um... Ron's been... he told me while we were... waiting to be rescued... that his parents aren't exactly loving with him and his sister."

"So you think the parental unit had something to do with it?"

"Maybe. He didn't want me to say anything... but it's been two days and he hasn't so much as called. I'd rather him be avoiding me than be hurt. The last time I saw him he'd crashed on the couch here with Hana after his parents used... corporal punishment."

Wade smiled. "You want me to make some calls and pull some strings."

"Depending on what you find, yes. He told me not to involve cops as long as it stayed verbal. I told him I wouldn't be responsible for my actions if they hurt him or his sister."

"I'll work my magic and get back to you."

"Thank you, Wade. You continue to rock."

He winked and signed off, taking a sip of his drink.

Kim sighed. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

He sighed. He should have known something like this could happen. His parents were fucking psychotic. He was hungry and exhausted. His sister's cries had slowed and stopped eventually, but she was hungry and terrified, and he hadn't been able to let go of her with our her clawing at his arm in fear. The first time he'd turned away from her for a moment, she'd screamed bloody murder, and her mother had come down stairs with the full intention of whipping her again.

He'd managed to get that awful belt away from his mother, but not without taking away a few scratches and bruises himself. He resolved to keep his sister quiet at all costs. He hadn't slept more than a couple hours in the past few days. Hana cried to him about being hungry, and he didn't know what to do. He'd only felt this helpless once in his life... and that was when he was stuck in that equally dark, damp, cold _hellhole_ watching Kim die.

Oh fuck... what if his parents left them in there to starve to death? He would not go through this twice. He'd claw his way through the basement walls before sitting and watching his kid sister waste away.

Clutching her close, he watched her small features as she slept.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

"Wade, have you found anything?"

"No. but I think my lack of leads in and of itself is a lead."

"How do you mean?"

"Well here's what I'm thinking: my surveillance of his house has his parents coming and going every day. But he has not entered or exited, and Hana has not been signed in or picked up from day care in just as long. If his folks are leaving, they can't leave the baby there alone... not if he's missing anyway."

"You don't think he's missing."

"I think he's in there. But I don't have visual confirmation of that. They could have ditched them both in a cabin in the woods for all I know."

"Do you think he's sick or something? Maybe they did something to him."

"I called his friend Josh to see if he'd check up on him... you said to me yesterday that Josh knows about it all, so I advised him of the situation. He said he would drop by tomorrow on his way home."

"Let me know what happens, please."

"He's going to be alright, Kim. I promise."

At that moment, her friends slipped into her room. "Thanks Wade... I need to go, but spell me if something comes up."

He smiled at her as he signed off.

"Hey guys."

"Hey. Happy Friday."

"Not so happy," she mumbled.

"Uh oh," Paige muttered. She watched Kim for a minute then frowned.

Kim was watching her too. "Why do you do that?"

Paige's eyes widened. "Do... what?"

"Watch people like that." Kim raised an eyebrow. _It's irritating,_ she added to herself.

"I'm sorry."

"Huh?" She looked around, then back at Paige with confused eyes.

Lilith cleared her throat. "Can we get back on topic?"

"Actually, no we can't. Not right now anyway. You two are my best friends... if there's something I should know, I want to hear it straight from the horses' mouths. What's really the sitch with you two?" Kim watched them warily, wishing she could cross her arms over her chest.

"You'll get better soon," Paige said quietly. "When are they removing the cast from your arm?"

"Next week—wait, how did you know I was thinking about my arm?"

Paige shrugged. "Call it a sixth sense. I can tell what people are thinking. I see thoughts in their mind as if I were thinking it myself. I don't hear voices in my head like those lame TV things... I just know. It's hard to explain."

"That's why you know so many languages?"

Paige smiled slightly. "I grew up in New York City. There are people from everywhere there. When you know what people from foreign countries are thinking, it doesn't exactly get translated. So I eventually grew up learning the languages people's thoughts were in."

"So... why not tell anyone that you can do that?"

"Honestly, it's sort of annoying to constantly have your train of thought derailed by a bunch of other people's thoughts, and I've eventually developed a sort of mental block that turns it off when I don't want to know what people are thinking, so it isn't like I'm constantly poking through people's brains—"

"That's your mom's job."

Kim rolled her eyes at Lilith.

"—so I've never told anyone, not even MAGIC, that I'm telepathic. Everyone just knows the language thing." She chuckled. "Since I know you're asking, I don't talk much because conversation isn't really necessary when you already know what's being said."

"That makes sense," Kim observed. "Saving your breath huh?"

"Absolutely."

"And you?" she turned a suspicious gaze to Lilith.

"I'm... different too."

"Yeah no shit," Kim mumbled.

"I have this thing called synesthesia. I see things... _music... _in color. It's like my mind automatically associates certain... sounds, I guess, with textures, colors... even shapes. As a kid I always used to describe whatever sound I was hearing as being a certain color. It freaked my parents out, they thought I'd lost my marbles. I guess in a weird way I have perfect pitch too. Because the colors and/or textures correspond to certain pitches and tones. And for example, a high note from a violin looks completely different when the same note is on the piano, or the saxophone, or whatever. It's apparently rather uncommon amongst people who have my disorder to see shapes, though. I'm extra special.

"I don't feel like it's a disorder. I like it. When I draw or paint from observation, my observation is totally different from other people. It makes for great art. And then I got into sculpting, sort of as like a side thing. But painting is what I love, and I have this little neat trick up my sleeve to do it with."

"Why not tell people?"

"No one ever asks. You never asked."

"I didn't think you wanted to tell."

"I don't. I feel like it would be like explaining an illusionist's tricks."

Kim tilted her head. "Hmm... I never thought of it like that."

"So now you know."

A bit anticlimactic, Kim felt. Her friends were extra cool. But she already knew that, and it didn't really change anything. Although she felt dumb for not asking sooner.

Her Kimmunicator beeped. "Wade?"

"I found Ron. You aren't going to believe this..."


	9. Chapter 8

**sooorryyyyyy! I'm late again! good news is, this is my last week of school i should be on time now.**

**enjoy the chapter! and please don't forget to vote on my profile for your favorite title. **

**~temporary insanity.**

* * *

She was crying again. She was so hungry it was painful for her. Her cries were quiet and mournful, the kind that clawed at anyone who heard. He was sure her head hurt too, because his did. He was thirsty, and it was bloody cold in this basement. Every inch of him hurt.

He continued to rock her and pace with her anyway, trying to give her some measure of comfort.

A loud explosion sounded upstairs, and he instinctively ducked, curling around her protectively as he felt her flinch. He heard his parents yell in protest as footsteps pounded heavily through the house. He heard about a dozen voices identify themselves as police and then the several echoes of "Clear!" as they searched through the house.

_What'd they do now?_ He wondered.

Then he thought he heard someone call his name. That had him confused until he realized that he'd been in here for days... the cops were here to get them.

His last errant thought as the police stormed down the stairs was that he was glad he was awake as he was being rescued this time...

* * *

They'd had to put an IV in Hana's arm to restore her fluids, because she was rather dehydrated. He sat with her most of the night because she was terrified of him leaving.

They had fed her earlier, a little bit, and her stomach pain had gone away. They had offered him food too, but his stomach was so sour, he couldn't stand even the smell of food.

He'd told the cops and the social workers that brought them to the hospital that they were staying upstairs with Kim until they knew where they were going to stay. They'd wanted him and Hana to stay in some group home, and he'd utterly refused. He wished he'd let Kim do her 'I've got connections' thing.

"Ron?"

He looked up from where his sister was sleeping. "Anne?"

"Hi. It's been a while."

"Yeah."

"I hear you need a place to stay."

He choked. "Um... the social worker said—"

"Yes, I know what she said. She also told me she was having trouble placing both you and your sister in one home. I knew you'd be against being placed without her. They are inspecting my house today, and the paperwork has been pushed through for you and Hana to be placed in my home." She smirked. "Kim has had a hand in this, I think, because a man called me and said that he'd been asked by 'Miss Possible' to represent you in any charges you might want to press, civil or otherwise, and to help you get emancipated, so you won't need foster care. He spoke of her with the utmost respect and admiration of course. He is more than happy to represent you free of charge."

"What? But what about Han?"

"You both would stay with us, of course, until you can get on your own two feet and take custody of her yourself if you are able. If not, Hana would stay with us."

"I wouldn't want to... impose..." Ron's eyebrows were still high, and he was sure his jaw was still scraping the floor. He consciously checked himself, closing his mouth and making an effort to neutralize his expression.

"Nonsense," Anne was saying. "You're the reason my daughter is alive," she said quietly. "She's so anxious about you... I can't _not_ help you."

He smiled slightly at that. So Kim _did_ do her 'connections' thing. And now he had a lawyer, too.

He would press charges, he thought darkly. He was going to sue them for every miserable penny they were worth, for fucking with his sister. They would pay. They would go to jail and he would break them. They should not have hurt her. She was just a kid.

Her eyes fluttered open, anxiously looking around until they spotted him. He brushed the tip of her nose with his finger, and she relaxed. "I'm here, baby girl," he said quietly. "I'm not going anywhere."

She smiled at him and he tickled her tummy, playing with her. She seemed to feel much better.

Anne watched him. "She's beautiful."

"They adopted her, I guess, on impulse, on a business trip to Japan. I knew they weren't going to be happy with her for long... as soon as they got tired of her I sort of just took over. They should never have been allowed to have kids period, much less adopt one."

"We'll help you take care of her," Anne said. "You're just a kid yourself, you know. You don't have to raise her on your own. Not anymore."

He smiled at her. "Thank you."

She wrapped him in a hug. "Anything you need. Anytime."

* * *

He was moved into the Possible house within the week. The Tweebs, as Kim _lovingly_ nicknamed them, had already given him his official welcome... their rocket crashed through his window, scaring the living shit out of him and Hana and blowing up the closet where he'd just unpacked all of his sister's clothes.

His room was really cool. It was sort of like a suite. He had a small bathroom and there was even a small living space with a TV. There was space for a crib for Han too, and space to play with her. It was only then that he realized exactly how well-off the Possibles were. The house was three floors, with the first floor being the common living room, dining room, kitchen, family room, and exit to their patio, a large, artistically paved and decorated entertainment area with a barbeque and hot tub. The area was sectioned off from the rest of the perfectly manicured back yard with a black wrought-iron gate.

The second floor was where his room was. There was one other room on the floor, which belonged to Kim's parents. On the third floor was Kim's room and the Tweebs' room, although their entrances were on the second floor. Each room was a suite that took up literally half of the floor it was on. He felt like the entire first floor of his old house fit in his room.

He and Hana would be more than comfortable here. She was already starting to become comfortable, letting Anne hold her and play with her, letting him out of her sight for more than two minutes, and toddling around, much to the amusement of the Possible family.

Today he'd see Kim for the first time since he left home. It had been a week and a half, and he'd talked to her every day in the morning and at night. He missed her terribly, but he'd had a lot of things to do. He'd packed up all of his and Hana's necessities, clothes, toys, personal effects... and he'd been unpacking all week in between meetings with social workers, police, and his lawyer, as well as going to see Hana's new day care, which seemed a thousand times better than the one his parents had put her in. He could already tell that this whole 'pressing charges' thing was going to be exhausting, but he wouldn't let anyone get away with hurting his sister. He'd collapse in exhaustion first.

Dr. Possible had dropped him off, and now he was in the elevator.

"KP?" he whispered when he finally arrived in her room. She was dozing, and he figured, based on the wrinkle between her eyebrows that he'd come to know well in their hellhole, as he'd named it, that she had just finished therapy and was tired and in pain.

He brushed stray hair away from her face and gently reached over, rubbing her pained leg until he felt her relax. Kissing her forehead, he flipped the TV on mute and put on the cooking channel.

She woke up some twenty minutes later, feeling considerably less sore and tired than when she'd fallen asleep. She looked around and realized why. Ron was watching TV on the couch. He must have helped her get comfortable.

She felt anger rise in her chest. How did someone as sweet and caring as him end up with such a shitty family? It simply wasn't fair.

"Oh hey, you're awake," he said quietly, smiling at her. He rose from the couch, pulling up a chair and kissing her sweetly before plopping into it. "How are you?"

She shrugged.

"Yeah I guess I understand," he chuckled. "We're settled in... thank you," he said quietly. "All the help you've given me... I'll owe you forever."

She shook her head. "You owe me nothing. I... you're my... I _need_ you to be okay."

"Purely selfish motive, huh?"

She laughed and nodded.

He grinned, kissing her cheek. "Thank you for being selfish."

"You're silly."

"You like me this way," he smirked.

"More than you know," she mumbled to herself.

He reached out, brushing her cheek. His fingers traced the line of her eyebrow, her nose, her lips... her skin felt like silk on his fingertips. She was so gorgeous.

She reveled in the affection he was showing her, closing her eyes as feelings she'd never felt before bubbled up in her. She had no clue how he brought those feelings out, but she didn't want it to end.

"Never in a thousand years did I believe I'd ever get to touch you like this," he murmured, his voice not interrupting the serenity of the moment.

"Never in a thousand years did I believe I could feel this way when someone did touch me like this," she responded.

His lips brushed hers briefly. "I love you."

She smiled up at him. "I love you, too."

* * *

It was the weekend, and he brought Hana with him to see Kim, who played with her and giggled with her like a pro. He knew they would get along very well.

He told Kim stories about Hana, and she smiled and laughed along, telling him the hilarities she remembered of the Tweebs when they were babies.

Her parents came in, and he watched them with her. They hugged her and kissed her, and she assured them a thousand times that she was doing well. She complained about her therapy and they sympathized, saying that she would be better before she knew it and to keep working hard. They talked to her, joking and smiling for a long time, and he could see the amount of love and respect that flowed between Kim and her parents and the unconditional support that the Drs. Possible had for their daughter.

He had that feeling of inadequacy again.

When they were gone, Kim motioned him over and they played with Hana and tickled her until both girls fell asleep.

He set his sister up on the pull-out bed and laid down beside her. _Just a minute,_ he told himself, _I'll only close my eyes for a minute._ When he opened them, it was two hours later, and Anne was changing Hana's diaper.

"Oh hey," he mumbled, scrubbing the sleep away from his face with the back of his hand.

"Hi, Ron. Kimmie's still asleep. I figured you two would be tired today. I ordered her dinner and a guest tray for you."

"Wow... thanks. I overslept..."

"Would you like me to take Hana home?"

He shrugged. "Up to her. She's comfortable with you guys when I'm around, but I'm not sure how she's doing on her own."

Anne smiled. "One way to find out, right?"

He shrugged again.

Hana sat up and crawled over to him once her diaper was clean. He smiled up at her as she sat on his stomach, telling him about something or other.

"Hana, would you like to stay with Auntie Annie?" He asked her, pointing at Anne.

She frowned at him for a moment, then buried her face in his chest.

"Guess that's a no," he chuckled.

Anne laughed. "When Kimmie was that age she was so shy. It was impossible to get her to sit with anyone other than her father."

"She never was shy," he muttered, anger invading his thoughts again. "She's like that now because of _them_."

"I'm so sorry," Anne said quietly. "If I had known I—"

"Don't do that," Ron interrupted. "Kim knew. I told her about it when we were... uh, _stuck_. I wouldn't let her do anything about it though. I should have," he added, more to himself. "Han wouldn't be hurt now."

Anne remembered the marks on the little girl's legs, deep purple now. "Was that the first time they hit her?"

"First time they hit either of us. I pushed my mom off her and came here. When I went back the next day... they told me that if I didn't do what I was told they would throw her down the basement stairs."

Anne gasped.

"I tried to take her from them, and they sort of cornered me into the basement, and they locked us up in there. I thought they would at least throw a sandwich and a bottle of water down the stairs or something... but they didn't even do that. They just... left us there. And when Han cried, they came to hit her. I um... I fought my mom for that belt thing... the buckle of it clipped my side, I have a mark there. She scratched me up a little but she eventually went back upstairs. Hana was utterly horrified."

"Oh honey..."

"I didn't ever think they would get that crazy."

"I don't think anyone does."

"She's just a baby."

Anne shrugged. "People do evil things that seem inexplicable to us. I guess it's good that you had Kim in your corner, huh?"

He smiled over at the sleeping redhead. "Definitely."

The dinners came in at that moment, but he wanted to feed Han first.

"I'll take care of her," Anne said. "Eat."

"But..."

"She's not your responsibility anymore. She never should have been."

"She's my sister."

"Yes," Anne agreed. "Your sister, not your daughter."

He wasn't sure he liked not being responsible for her.

Anne smiled at his expression. "Don't worry about it. Why don't you wake Kim, so she can eat?"

He did like the sound of that, and he sat down on her bed, brushing her cheek as he leaned over her. "KP? Sweetheart?" he whispered in her ear.

She frowned, and he thought it was cute. "Would you rather me call you honey?"

"No," she snapped, opening one eye to glare at him.

He smiled angelically. "You dinner is here, _Sweetheart_. Are you hungry?"

She nodded, and he set up the tray of food on the rolling little table for her, helping her sit up comfortably before rolling it into place. "Thank you."

He smiled in response and sat down to eat his own food. It felt weird eating peacefully without having to worry about his sister. Again, he wasn't sure if he liked it. Maybe he had some kind of weird reverse-separation-anxiety.

Kim watched him for a moment before putting her fork down. "Mom, take her home."

"What?! No," Ron protested. "Why?"

"Because you look like it's the end of the world because you can't feed her yourself."

"It is," he mumbled.

"No, it's not. Mom will take her home, and she'll be okay, and you can call and check up on her if you want."

"How about she stays so I don't have to 'check up' on her?"

"Because she'll be more comfortable sleeping through the night in her own bed than she ever will be napping on that mattress that frankly, looks more uncomfortable than this blasted thing."

He sighed. She was right. "Fine," he grumbled. "I'll call tonight." he pushed his tray away, suddenly not hungry anymore. His stomach was tight with anxiety.

Now he was sure. He really didn't like it.

* * *

"Anne?"

A chuckle. "You lasted longer than I thought you would."

His face turned bright pink. "I was preoccupied," he mumbled. "Is she..."

"I think she's okay now. She was a little bit tense earlier, but the boys have taken to her well. They tucked her in and she fell asleep with no problems."

He let out a sigh of relief. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

"She's alright, Ron."

"Well... okay. But if she freaks and I need to—"

"If she freaks, we will handle it here. Enjoy your time off," she said, and he could hear the smirk in her tone as she hung up the phone.

"See?" Kim squeezed his hand. "She's fine."

"Yeah yeah," he muttered, settling into his seat.

She brought his hand to her lips. "You guys are okay now," she said against his hand, "you can let your guard down. She won't be mistreated again."

"I know," he murmured. "I just worried about her since she came home. I can't really help myself. And then the one second I take my eyes off her she's being flogged by my mother for being a _child."_

"So you took your eyes off her for a second. She wasn't supposed to be your responsibility. It wasn't your fault."

"Feels like it," he mumbled.

"I'm sorry," she said, pressing his hand to her lips again.

He traded hands for his lips and when he pulled away from her, She beamed at him.

"Oh did I tell you that they're planning on kicking me out of here soon?"

"Oh?"

"Well I don't know exactly, but the doctor said that I don't have to stay here for the remainder of my rehabilitation."

"So what, they'll send you to one of those rehab centers?"

"Yeah, I guess." she shrugged.

"Well at least the therapy in the rehab center will be more helpful."

"And hopefully less painful," she grumbled.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart."

"'s okay. You were right. I can do this. I have to."

"And you will," he said to her with a smile. "Now, what channel was that show on?"

* * *

"_Please... don't let her die. Please—"_

"_We're helping her, son. She will be okay."_

"_She's got no pulse!"_

"_Clear!"_

"_Still no pulse."_

"_Charging to two-fifty."_

"_Nononono," the boy mumbled, still barely conscious... barely alive. His frigid, dark blue hands reached for his coat. "P-pl—please n-n-n—"_

"_Clear!"_

_He flinched as the sound of the shock echoed in the small, frigid space. The girl's body jumped in response to the surge of electricity, then went limp again. _

"_P-p-pl—ease..."_

"_Just rest, son. I promise we will help her as best we can," he whispered. _

"_I... don't want to... if she dies I can't..."_

"_She'll be okay. I promise."_

_She was pronounced dead exactly seven minutes and forty-one seconds later. The boy never knew. His eyes slid closed and the grip on his coat loosened. _

_He was gone._

The man bolted upright, covered in sweat. In all his years working with Middleton Search and Rescue, he'd never encountered a situation like the one he did that day. He'd been having the same awful dream for weeks.

Slipping out of bed, he watched his wife sleep for a moment before carefully slipping into his daughter's room. Her blond hair was wrapped in a bun and she slept peacefully. He wondered what she thought about her fellow teammate's accident.

Tara had made it abundantly clear that she did not like Kim Possible at all. "She's such a show off! I hate her and her stupid perky attitude! One day something will happen that she can't get out of, and we'll see how fucking smug and chipper she is then!"

"Tara, bite your tongue," he'd protested, a stern look on his face. "That young lady saved your life."

"Yeah yeah, if it weren't for her I would have been stuck in here for days, blah blah. That was really nice of her and all, but that doesn't mean I have to like her. She makes Bonnie feel like shit."

Bonnie. Bonnie Rockwaller. He'd always though that girl was selfish and shallow. He did not want his daughter to turn out that way. But alas, her daughter had followed in her friend's footsteps well, and was just as self-absorbed and degrading to others as the rest of her friends.

He would rather have had her become friends with Kim Possible.

He remembered the girl's brilliance in directing the search and rescue efforts after the F4 tornado that had devastated Middleton, destroying his house and leaving his daughter trapped inside and injured.

He'd worked desperately though the night, trying to get anyone to help him remove the rubble so that he could save his baby. Then, the red-haired tiny girl simply slipped into the middle of the destruction, crawling over, under, and around obstacle after obstacle, into the small space where Tara lay, injured and unconscious. Twenty minutes later, Tara was being rushed to the hospital. He had no idea how the girl had managed to do it, but she'd administered first aid and dragged her through the maze of destruction to safety in record time, without aggravating her injuries.

She did that dozens of times, to rescue small children or simply to provide eyes for the rescuers who were trying to remove rubble without injuring the people trapped inside. She risked her life over and over to go where no person or machine could go to save someone. She provided words of encouragement to the injured and the families of those who were trapped in the mess mother nature left behind.

She got down and dirty with the clean up in Middleton, and her ideas for rescue and for the removal of all the devastation were so genius that eventually she sortg of just took over the whole operation. The town was cleaned up in half the time they expected, and people were rebuilding and returning home in a matter of weeks.

Not a soul was lost because of her leadership and ingenuity.

And he'd seen the girl on the brink of death not even three years later. She'd grown into a beautiful teenager, as opposed to the twelve-year-old with braces that he'd seen when she helped with the tornado.

But her lips were blue, the left half of her body was destroyed, and she was barely alive, choking on every breath she tried to take. Her heart had stopped in the helicopter, and he knew that this could very well be the end of her life. It was a miracle either of them survived.

Tonight, his dream felt so real...

He spoke to Dr. Anne Possible afterward, to see how she'd ended up. She was a trooper, that was for sure. But tonight, he needed to see the girl himself.

The boy, much to his relief, had been released from the hospital weeks ago, but that didn't stop him from hoping he could visit the boy in the future. He really just needed to see with his own eyes that they were both well.

Quietly, he slipped out of his pajama pants and into a pair of jeans. He left on his hoodie and slipped his winter coat over it. Shoving his feet into the first pair of boots he could find, he slipped outside, shivering as he closed the door. It was fucking freezing.

The roads were terrifying, but he managed to make it to Tri-City Regional Hospital in one piece... in one _live_ piece.

He dodged security and scrambled up the stairs to her floor. It was one-thirty in the morning, so he expected her to be asleep.

She was, but _he_ wasn't. The boy, the blonde that he'd found on top of her, shielding her from the harsh cold and bitter ice. Guarding her with his very life.

"Who are you?" he asked quietly.

"I'm... I'm sorry, I know you, but you don't know me. At least, not officially. My name is Joshua Hardy. I'm part of the team that … well, that rescued you."

"I'm... Ron. Ron Stoppable." The boy stood to shake his hand, and he was relieved that the hand was the normal color of flesh, and not frigid.

"Pleased to meet you," he whispered, meeting the boy's eyes. They looked like he hadn't slept much either.

"Ron?" a feminine voice mumbled, and the boy was was instantly at her side. It was impressive, he'd never seen anyone move that fast.

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart," he whispered. "We didn't mean to wake you."

"We?" she asked, fully alert. Her green eyes landed on his form near the door. She studied him a moment and then recognition lit her face. "Mr. Hardy. Hi." she motioned him in with a genuine smile.

"You know him?" Ron asked, confused.

"Sure. He's Tara's dad. I um... worked with him a while back. When that storm blew Middleton to pieces," she added with a mumble.

"I didn't mean to wake you," he said quietly. "I um... just never got around to seeing you, and I couldn't sleep."

Ron looked like he knew how that felt.

Kim watched Ron for a moment. With a small gesture she invited him to lay with her on her good side. He took her hand and sat, leaning back so he could lay next to her. He was asleep in seconds, mumbling a goodnight to her.

She rolled her eyes. "He's always so tired. He worries too much to sleep."

"Worried about you?"

"To the point of ridiculousness," she agreed in a whisper. Ron's arm reached across her, and she tangled the fingers of her left hand through his. He slept on.

"How are you?" he asked quietly.

"Okay. My hip is still a problem," she complained. "But at least the pulmonologist says my lungs are okay. I just need to get on my feet again."

"That's good."

"The um... the hypothermia they said was really bad. And then I got that pneumonia... they said there's no way either of us should have lived."

"It's true," he murmured, taking Ron's former seat at the side of the bed. He watched the boy sleep for a moment, wondering at how stressed he'd looked just moments before and how peacefully he was sleeping now. He guessed Kim had that effect on him; she had that effect on everyone.

He studied his hands. "I was the one that found you. The uh... the snow broke away from the ledge, and we all decided to take to the air for the next couple hours, thinking another avalanche could happen.

"They put us on the ground and we decided to search the actual ledge. We found your backpack, and it was open like someone had gone through it not that long before. We searched that ledge like mad men. I thought I saw a light, and I looked and there you were. Inside this cave, about as wide as your brothers are tall, and maybe just as deep too. He'd laid you down near the wall of it and laid down... sort of on top of you, I guess maybe trying to keep you warm... I'm not sure. You weren't conscious, and it seemed like he had just passed out as well," he whispered, motioning to the sleeping boy. "When we pulled you out of there we realized how narrow the space you were trapped in was. We worked on you in a space that was maybe three feet across. we... found the ashes from the fire, and some food wrappers and empty thermoses. He was starting to suffer from malnourishment when we found him, according to the blood tests they did on him later. But you weren't. I guessed he gave you all the food."

"He did," she whispered, her eyes misting. "He insisted he wasn't hungry. He kept saying I needed to keep my strength up. He wouldn't let me give up."

"He cares very much for you." Mr. Hardy cleared his throat. "When um... when we pulled him off of you, he woke up, more or less, briefly. He kept mumbling... it took me a while to figure out what he was saying... I can't ever get it out of my mind. He was..."

"What?" Kim asked after a moment of silence.

The older man swallowed hard. "Begging me not to let you die. Over and over."

Her eyes widened. "Oh Ron," she whispered, her hand squeezing at his. A tear traveled slowly down her cheek.

Ron stirred. "KP?" he croaked. "Were you calling me?"

"No," she whispered. "I'm sorry. Go back to sleep."

"Are you crying? Why are you crying?!" he sat up, alarmed.

"Nothing," she said quietly. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"Are you sure you're okay, Sweetheart?"

"Yes," she answered with a weak smile. "Now sleep! Don't you have school?"

He laid back down hesitantly. "Comfortable?"

She nodded.

He watched her for a moment, his eyes heavy again. "Whatever is making you sad, I promise I'll make it better," He mumbled.

She kissed his cheek. "Just sleep," she whispered. "That will make it better."

"Mmkay," he smiled. "Love you."

Mr. Hardy went home soon after. He never had that nightmare again.


	10. Chapter 9

**sorry! I've had a bit of a cough for a while, and I've been totally out of it. I don't even remember if I updated last week on time! but rest assured, there will be two posts today because I won't be on the rest of the week. also, I've posted all of my stories on this fancy new little website called fictionpad. it looks very clean and cool, and it's a bit different and I think more functional than here. it's pretty simple to do: if you choose to check me out on fictionpad, create a log-in password and type in your ffn pen name. all of your work will be transferred right over automatically :)**

**anyways, enjoy the double update.**

**PS- if you haven't voted for a title yet, please do so! thank you. the poll is on my profile page.**

* * *

It was the end of February. She was caught up with her school work and she was able to move around a bit more.

She stared out the window of her new room in the rehabilitation center she'd been moved into two weeks before. It was boring here, too. Although the space was much more homey, there was no place for Ron to sleep here, and visitation was limited due to the amount of therapy she had to do.

Therapy was grueling. Although she was starting to see results, such as being able to sit on her own a bit more comfortably and such, her hip was a constant source of pain. Her knee still gave out and she was starting to doubt whether she could really push herself through this.

However, she was glad that she could now make it to the chair by the window. She could see MAGIC from up there, and she always liked to think is was something akin to keeping an eye on Ron.

She'd gotten very... _possessive_... with him. It was worse now that she couldn't see him all the time. He tried to be patient, but this weekend he finally reached his limit and told her that he loved her with everything he was but that he refused to be with someone who wanted to control his life... he'd had enough of that. Then he'd stormed down the hallway, and she cried for the next two days.

On Monday he came in, contritely apologizing for snapping at her. She cried more. He wrapped his arms around her until she calmed down enough to speak. She tearfully told him all of her frustrations about not being able to see him or her friends, her cheer squad preparing for their competition without her, hearing how Ron had gotten mega popular over night, how girls would want to talk to him and such from her friends, how _Bonnie _wanted to get in his inner circle, how—

"Stop stop stop, KP," he had finally interrupted her with a chuckle. "First, I told you that the new Ron Stoppable doesn't give a shit. Popularity means nothing to me. I've made the friends I'm going to make. The rest of them, wanting to step up to me for cool points or whatever, they can all get fucked. Second, the squad misses you. Everyone, even those brats that you let hang around, agrees that being able to replicate the skill and fun and charisma you help them achieve in every performance will be incredibly difficult. They are all wishing you could guide them. Third, do you really think that I would trade _you_," he tapped the tip of her nose with his index finger, "for _Bonnie_?! Really, KP?"

"It wouldn't be the first time someone did," she muttered.

He ignored her. "Lastly, you _will_ make it through this. And just because I can't hang around as much as I used to, or Lilith and Paige and Monique, or anyone else, doesn't mean at all that we love you any less. Besides you'll be out of here by the time summer comes around, and we'll all hang around you until you personally kick our asses out the door. And your family... well you've got to live with them, so good luck getting them to leave you alone once you're home."

She chuckled. "Specially the Tweebs."

"See?" he chuckled with her and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "You'll be just fine, Sweetheart."

Her eyes watered again. "I feel so alone when I'm in therapy," she whispered. "I hate it. I hate coming back to bed and wishing I had something... someone—anyone! Anyone to distract me from my tiredness and pain. I hate that I can't wake up after a bad dream and look over at you or my mom or my dad or Lili and Paige... I hate waking up every day and being tired and afraid. I've never felt this way before."

He held her for a long time, eventually soothing her into sleep. He couldn't let her keep feeling like this...

* * *

"Houston paging Ron. Do you copy?"

Ron snapped out of his daze. "Huh?"

"What's up your butt?"

Ron shook his head. "Nothing. Just been a long few days."

"Coz you can't see your girlfriend whenever you want anymore?"

He shook his head. "She's not... officially my girlfriend. I mean, I never asked her out."

"Um... you kiss her and drool over her and space out on me when you're worried about her, and you call her _Sweetheart_. When you're thinking about her you get all googly-eyed and girly. She's your girlfriend. Now what's going on? Is she doing okay?"

Ron scowled at him over the 'girly' comment before speaking. "She's doing fine... she's just tired. And maybe a bit lonely. She's always been this... social butterfly type... literally starts losing it when she doesn't have something to do and someone to do it with. I think not being able to do her missions or cheerleading is really bugging her."

"She'll get better soon," Josh said optimistically, popping a nacho in his mouth.

Ron shrugged. "Until she's better that won't be enough for her."

Josh sighed. "I'm sorry. I know this sucks ass, for everyone involved. Hey, the other day you promised you'd introduce me to some of your lady friends over at MAGIC."

Ron laughed. "You should apply to MAGIC and then you can hang out with my lady friends instead of just _meeting _them."

"You know my parents won't let me go, even if I do get in."

"Who says they have to know?"

"They'll know when they see my report card, you dolt."

Ron rolled his eyes. He was thinking about _her_ again. He missed her like crazy. Hey, he knew she had a therapy session in the afternoon... what time was it? He wondered if he could maybe—

"Need to be somewhere?"

"Huh?" he stopped staring blankly at his watch and looked up at his friend. "No... I just got an idea."

"Stoppable's got an idea... let's get the paramedics on standby, shall we?"

Ron flipped him off. "She says she hates doing her therapy alone. What if... what if I could go? If I could start helping her with it like I used to when she was in the hospital, she wouldn't feel so depressed, and we'd have more time together."

Josh raised an eyebrow. "Hmm. I think we can call off the paramedics. That's actually a good idea. Do you know if the rehab center will let you do that?"

He shrugged. "I don't particularly give a shit. I bet I can get Anne and Dr. Possible on board with this too, and they'll duke it out with the rehab center. Provided they'll sit on Hana, I could meet her in therapy at least three times a week."

"I'll sit on Han for you."

He waved his best friend off. "Thanks, but I know you've got your own things to do. Just because I don't have to deal with it, doesn't mean I don't know what you're going through anymore. And I can't really risk Hana being exposed to parents like ours again... she's been doing so well."

Josh stared at his hands. "It's gotten worse."

Ron looked up in surprise.

"Yesterday I came home and I found the fridge fucking padlocked. They said I couldn't eat or drink until I finished this fucking thirteen page list of chores. I have yet to finish the list, and I have yet to eat anything except this," he said, pointing at his Grande Naco Platter and side order of nachos. "Thank God for you," he mumbled.

Ron was pretty sure his eye was twitching. "Are you... serious right now?"

"It gets better," Josh continued dully. "My bedroom was locked too. I slept on the couch, and my homework and wallet were in my room. I got zeros on all my assignments, and I got no sleep last night, and my lunch tickets are in my wallet so I didn't eat lunch today either. That couch is also uncomfortable as fuck."

Ron shook his head. "You can't keep living like this."

He chuckled. "Unfortunately, I don't think an insanely rich and prominent family whose daughter I'm madly in love with will just adopt me and pay for a lawyer so I can sue the living shit out of my parents. I'll be okay."

"They're starving you and locking you out of your room? What's next? Maybe they'll take a page from my mother's book and lock you in the basement forever. Look, even if you don't land in a cushy new place, anything has to be better than this."

"Speaking of which, when does your emancipation go through?"

"Um... I decided not to do it. The Possibles, they've been really good with me and Han. I've been a grown up my whole life, I just... want to enjoy the next couple years."

"Fair enough," Josh shrugged. "Hey, here's your chance," he said under his breath, pointing behind Ron.

Ron turned to spot Anne and Dr. Possible stepping up to the counter. He waved at them as they saw him. "Doctors P, not in the mood to cook today?"

Anne laughed and hugged him. "Hiya Ron. Tonight was supposed to be pizza night, but the pizzeria was closed for maintenance today. So we're getting everyone nacos."

"I would have cooked."

"Son, you don't have to—"

"Dr. Possible, it's okay. I _like _to cook."

"Well then you'll have to help out with dinner one of these days."

He beamed at them, and motioned them toward the booth where he and Josh were sitting. "Can we talk?"

"Sure, honey. What's the problem?"

Josh stood and introduced himself. "Josh Mankey, pleasure."

The Possibles shook his hand and sat down. "What is it, Ron?"

Ron sighed. "The problem is KP. She's really... um, well she's really..."

"He's worried about her because she says she's lonely and hates doing therapy by herself. He wants to take a few days a week to go through her work outs with her." Josh raised an eyebrow at his friend. "Was that so hard?"

Ron glared at him.

Dr. Possible looked at Ron in concern. "When did she say this?"

"Really, she has always hated therapy. You know that. But I think these feelings have only come up since she got moved to the rehab center. She told me this on Monday."

Anne smirked. "Josh, how long has he been worried about this?"

Josh shrugged, smirking back. "I think the question is when is he _not_ worried about something or other? Dude, you seriously need to get that stick out of your ass."

Ron glared at them both, resisting the urge to give his friend another one-finger salute.

Anne sat back in her seat. "Well Ron, thank you for bringing this to our attention. I know you care about Kimmie a lot. But you have to know that you don't have to worry about her." She took his hand, her kind blue eyes reminding him a lot of Kim's expressive green ones. "I know you care for her, but let us handle this, okay? We're her parents, and it's our job to take care of these things." Her eyes lowered briefly. "I know that... I know that you've had to take care of yourself and the people you care about for a long time. But please let us take care of Kimmie, okay?"

"But what about the therapy—"

Dr. Possible grinned. "I think we can work out something that is agreeable to everyone."

* * *

She'd been dreading this moment since she woke up. The only things that marginally brightened her day were the flowers Ron brought her, which were sitting in the window sill, and her midterm grade report, which was outstanding as always. It was now the second week in March. She was supposed to start trying to stand today.

Brilliant. More torture.

When she arrived in the therapy room, her eyes widened.

"Hey KP. Ready to get this show on the road?"

"What the... Ron? How did you... what did...?"

He chuckled, tucking her hair behind her ear and kissing her cheek tenderly. "KP, Sweetheart, you've got your connections... I've got mine."

She just rolled her eyes and hugged him. "How did you swing this?! They don't let people in here."

"Your folks haggled with the Man around here, and got me in twice a week."

Her future in that instant became considerably brighter.

"It's supposed to be a trial thing. If they don't see any improvement they'll stop the whole thing. But I know they will see improvement, because first, you're Kim Possible, and you're like a cat with nine lives, except it's more like nine million. And second, because you're not going to be bored or tired or stressed out with your favorite Ron-shine around to cheer ya on. You were the cheer section, KP, now you _have_ one."

She just shook her head. This boy was insane.

But he sat with her through every exercise, counting out loud for her, letting her squeeze his hand when she was in pain, and talking to her to distract her from her anxiety. Yes, she did feel a lot better.

"Okay Kim, I'm going to explain your next exercise to you. We're going to get you standing today!" said the therapist, trying to infuse excitement into the situation.

Kim felt her heart sink. She didn't think she could stand yet.

"You hear that, Sweetheart? We're gunna get you on your feet," Ron grinned, kissing her hair. "You can do this," he said into her ear. "I'll help you."

She exhaled and listened as the therapist, Miss Jill, explained the first exercise. It was supposed to help the muscles in her hip. She gripped Ron's hand. She was partly excited and mostly anxious to try this.

Ron smiled at her. "You can do it, Sweetheart. I'll count to three and then you can stand. Use my arms to support yourself."

"Okay." her voice was small.

He knelt in front of her, framing her face with his hands. "Hey. You can do this, okay? I'm right here holding on to you, and Miss Jill will be right behind you. If you get tired before you can finish we'll sit you back down okay? At least try." He kissed her forehead, the way he always did when she was in Tri-City Regional, and it made all of her anxiety and tension melt away. She griped his forearms and he held her elbows in his palms and pulled herself up.

He stood with her, the smile on his face getting bigger and bigger as she steadied herself.

She took a minute to assess herself. Putting weight on her left leg was painful, but standing wasn't so bad. She'd missed it.

She liked how being in his arms felt too. She sort of wanted to kiss him now that she was standing. But he was a bit taller than her, and if she tried to reach up she might end up falling over.

He read her expression with an amused look on his face. "Focus," he said lightly, chuckling a little.

She cleared her throat as heat rose in her cheeks. No one had ever been able to distract her like him. She wondered if it was good or bad.

"Ready to start, Sweetheart?" his voice was low and sort of soothing, like it always was these days. She nodded and began, part of her mind counting along with him while the rest of it focused on the words of encouragement he would whisper to her when she felt her leg start to get tired, the heat of her exhaustion searing in the muscles of her hip and thigh. When she finally finished the ten reps that four months ago would have been cake to her, Miss Jill directed her to repeat the process with her right leg. She balked. She could barely stand on it before, and now it was tired from the exercise she just did. She wouldn't make it through the first rep.

"You can do this, Sweetheart."

She gripped his arms tighter.

* * *

She'd been staring out the window since she got back to her room. Sometimes she smiled, sometimes tears slipped from her eyes unnoticed. He was at a complete loss of what to do. She had a shrink here, and he'd contemplated putting in a call to the lady and begging her to help him understand why his... _girlfriend..._ was acting like someone died and not like she'd taken her first steps.

He'd been working with her for three weeks now, and her hip was getting stronger and less painful. Her knees weren't giving out on her so much, and she could actually stand on her own to do her exercises, using him for nothing more than to maintain her balance.

Today, the therapist, impressed with her sudden leaps and bounds of progress, had wanted her to try to take a few steps. She'd walked a few steps before her left knee gave and she hurtled to the floor with a yelp, making him scramble to catch her before she hit the ground hard.

She'd been silent ever since.

He reached his limit. "Sweetheart... you're scaring me."

She turned her blank gaze away from the window and toward him. "I was walking today."

"I know," he beamed at her, squeezing her hand.

"I fell."

"You did fantastically," he argued.

She shook her head. "I never fall. I don't choke, Ron. Ever."

"KP, you were in a horrific accident in which your left side ended up like leftovers from a crocodile's lunch. You didn't choke. You did great."

She just stared out the window.

He stared at their joined hands. He had to find a way to make her see. She was beautiful and amazing and strong... so strong. If only he knew how to...

Well maybe he didn't but he knew who did.

* * *

"You have a visitor."

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. No one ever visited her anymore, the only person who did was currently still in the hospital. Or was she? She wasn't sure, the last time she'd spoken to Kim she was still bed-ridden in Middleton's rehabilitation center.

She wheeled herself into the visitation area. It was empty except for a young man with messy blonde hair. He was wearing khakis and a red hoodie. "Who are you?"

"Not important," he said, and his voice sounded like he was disgusted to be speaking to her. "I'm here because I have to be, not because I give a shit about a murderer like you."

"I don't need this shit," she growled. "If you came here to berate me about my mistakes then you can just get the fuck out."

His hand stopped her wheel chair from rolling away. "It might have been a _mistake_ the first time you let one of your agents die. The second, third, and fourth times were planned. And Kim..." he swallowed and rage blazed in his eyes. "You left her on that thing to rot. She was in _pain_ for _days._ Because of you."

"How do you—"

"I'm not done talking," he hissed. He turned away from her. "Like I said. I'm not here for you."

"But you did enjoy making me feel like shit just now. Do you think I don't _know_ what I did?"

"I don't give a shit if you do," he shrugged.

"Fuck you! You know what, how did you even get here? Get the fuck out."

"Kim does, though," he continued, ignoring Sherri's angry words. "She likes you for some reason. I'm not her, I can't look at murderers and see potential. But she can, and she sees something in you. Something she respects. I'm here for her, not you."

She shut up. That caught her attention. She studied the boy carefully. "You must be Ron," she finally said. "She talks about you a lot."

"She was walking yesterday. She took five steps and just about fell on her ass. She thinks she _choked_."

"Yeah, Kimmie would think something like that. Lil Miss Perfect can't handle when something doesn't go the way she wants."

"She's not some spoiled brat," Ron hissed at her. "She's—"

"What does she need?" Sherri interrupted, her voice sharp. She was done with this conversation.

"You," he said simply. "Whatever you did to visit her that last time, do it again. I don't know or care how you managed to get out of your special place in hell, but she needs to see you. Visitation ends in two minutes."

He stalked toward the barred door, and she simply stared after him as she was wheeled away and the door buzzed closed behind him.

Asshole.

* * *

Kim was talking to Monique and Lilith on her Kimmunicator when a sound made her look up. Her eyes widened. "How in the—are you here legally?" She picked up her jaw and smirked.

Sherri laughed. "Yep. Got my groupies with me to prove it," she said, pointing behind her to the guards posted at the door. One of the guards had to work really hard not to laugh.

"Groupies huh? Who said you're cool enough to have those?"

"The jury," she deadpanned, making her way to where Kim was sitting. "You look good."

"So do you," Kim said with a wide smile.

Sherri smirked. "I don't believe that but thanks."

Kim rolled her eyes. "Hey guys, I gotta go," she said to her friends, who were watching her talk to someone not on the screen in confusion. "Someone is here to visit. Catch you flip side." she disconnected and turned off the device, throwing it across the room to her bed. She turned back to her green-eyed, pale skinned friend with a smile.

Her friend was not smiling. "Your boyfriend got all up in my space two days ago. He doesn't like me much."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Ron went to see you? Why? How'd he even know how to find-"

"I haven't the slightest clue," Sherri shrugged. "He made it very clear that he was there because I'm your friend and not because he wanted anything to do with me. He also made it clear that he was the one in charge. I like that guy, he's going to be a huge reality check for you."

Kim choked on something and used her arm to cover her mouth as she coughed. "Beg pardon?"

"Oh you heard me, Princess. Your little boyfriend's got big balls to talk to me like that. I woulda kicked them right the fuck off if he hadn't told me that you need me." She stared out the window. "Or if I could use my legs."

Kim rolled her eyes. "So that's what this is about? Ron thinks I'm freaking out over nothing."

"Yes," she hissed. "You and your perfect little life, perfect friends, perfect boyfriend, perfect family. You think _this_ feels like a prison? Try being in a real God-forsaken prison! You think it's bad that you took five steps before you landed on your ass?! People like me don't get to take even _one_ step. And you know what? Even if I could walk, I'm never going to get my life back! I'm never going to be able to go anywhere. Once you're out of here, the only excuse I have to see the outside world will be gone, too, so instead of crying about how much you choked, think about everyone that wishes they had the chance to do even that, and then get the fuck up and do it again and again until you aren't falling anymore. You've always had everything I ever wanted," she ended in a whisper, tears leaking from her eyes. "Don't fucking waste it over this bullshit."

"Sherri, I—"

"You have everything I wish I had. You have another chance to get your life back. Your life always was perfect. And it always was bright. Your future was always brilliant. Reach out and take what you have. Stop taking it for granted. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. It could be worse."

Kim was stunned into silence.

"I'll never see my family again. I'll never walk. I'll never have the future I wanted, even though I fucked it up all on my own with that stunt I pulled. I'll never have friends that give a shit about me—"

"You're wrong about that," Kim said quietly, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt and reaching for Sherri's hand. "I'll always be your friend."

"I have no clue why the fuck you would want to do that," she said with a rueful chuckle.

"Because I care about you," Kim answered simply. "I always thought of you as a friend."

"It didn't hurt you to find out that I was the one that sold us out?"

Kim shrugged. "Friends don't always like each other. Friends hurt each other, make mistakes, do stupid shit... but friends _always_ forgive each other, and friends always love each other. Friends don't hold onto the pain, but instead take the lesson and use it to make their friendship stronger. You fucked up. Whatever. I fuck up all the time with my friends. They are always mad at me because I bail on them for a mission or something."

"This is hardly the same kind of fucking up."

"Maybe, but the principle is still the same. Real friends get over it."

"And you're over it."

Kim nodded. "It doesn't take away from the damage done to the families of those people, or the mark you put in my jacket. But it is what it is, and at the end of the day, your life is fucked up too. I know you did what you did because you wanted to take what I had. I can be a bitch about it or I can offer you what I can give you: friendship."

Sherri pondered that for a moment. "Looks like we both have some homework to do," she said with a chuckle. "You, stop acting like a baby and man up. So you fell. Do it again until you don't fall anymore. Don't let this get in the way of your life. Don't take your second chance for granted. You can do this, you know. Your website says you can do anything."

Kim grinned. "And you, don't forget that you aren't as alone as you think you are."

Sherri squeezed Kim's hand, sudden tears clogging up her throat. "I won't forget," she whispered. "Oh one more thing, I talked to your nerdlinger yesterday. He helped me get something together to add to your bracelet. You should get it in a few days."

Kim smiled at her. "Thank you."

"Whatever," Sherri smirked. Kim mock-saluted her, and she received Sherri's signature one-finger salute in return. Kim's laughter followed Sherri down the hall.

Four days later, Kim opened a small box to reveal a silver trinket that looked like a girl in mid-roundhouse kick. Upon closer inspection, she realized the girl was an image of herself.

The letter that accompanied the charm read:

_Princess, _

_I don't know if you or your family is religious, but I found this in my celly's stuff... she has a Bible, for some reason, and I flipped through it. Nosy of me, huh? Anyway, I read this and I thought you could stand to read it too. It says:_

"_I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Phillipians 4:13_

_Don't forget, no matter how hard it gets, no matter how many times you fall, you will always be the girl that survive anything, be successful at anything, do anything. You can do this. You can and you will._

_~Sherri G._

She wiped her eyes and folded the letter. Their family, she guessed was... she wasn't sure. They celebrated Christmas and Easter and such, but it wasn't religious except when they said grace before eating their special dinners. When she was a small girl she remembered that Nana Possible had a Bible too, but she'd simply never taken interest in reading it.

But she'd seen this poster of this particular verse before. It was a picture of a man with a prosthetic leg standing at the top of this huge rock that he'd climbed, looking out at the ruggedness below.

She thought to herself. She really could do this. If that guy had to learn how to use a fake leg to rock climb for thousands of feet, she could figure out how to keep her legs from slipping out from under her long enough to make it across the room. Rock climbing was so not the drama anyway.

She pushed her blasted wheelchair away and stood.


	11. Chapter 10

He guessed Sherri found the time to visit her at some point, because she had a new charm on her bracelet, and she pushed herself harder than ever before, even asking if she could be scheduled for extra sessions each week. Also, just after she got her new charm, she attempted to walk across the room to her bed on her own, without any walking aids. He found her sitting on her ass on the floor when he walked in some time later. He expected her to be depressed again, but she just gritted her teeth and insisted that he help her try again.

She now worked herself into sweaty exhaustion six days a week, but her progress was fantastic. He could barely keep up with her. She smiled and laughed more too. Today he'd had to flake on her therapy over a meeting with his lawyer. She'd waved him off with a bright smile and a kiss. It made him feel a lot better about the situation.

Now he was sitting in his lawyer's office. His lawyer, Dr. Jerry Arias, was a tall, thin man of Hispanic descent, with expressive deep brown eyes that had glinted in fury as Ron told the story of his life and the end of his relationship with his parents, but always greeted him with an openness that made Ron feel like his case was in good hands. Salt-and-pepper hair curled all over his head, making his age more obvious than his face gave away. The man was in his mid- to late-forties.

On his desk were pictures of his wife and children: A pretty girl about his age, with hair that was brownish red and wide, brown eyes... she didn't hold a candle to his KP; a boy about the age of the Tweebs, with curly brown hair and piercing eyes like his father's; another boy about six years old. Dr. Arias explained to him that his wife was from Mexico, and her family had run into problems with the gangsters and drug dealers that owned that part of town around the time they were vacationing with her family. His daughter and youngest son never made it home from the market one day, and Kim spent three weeks investigating, dodging the red tape put up by the diplomatic and federal investigators. She found and rescued the children, captured the drug dealers, and secured millions of dollars in illicit substances before the cartel even knew what was happening. It was a major bust that Kim was more than happy to assist with.

Dr. Arias, helpless against Possible charm to begin with, was eternally grateful for the safe return of his family and continually helped her with any legal advice that she needed, also lending Wade private investigators and many other sources that he had for their cases.

It seemed the entire world owed something or other to Kim Possible. She wasn't lying when she said she had more strings to pull than a damn clothing factory.

In any case, Dr. Arias had made Ron's case a priority, citing that he'd lost his children and didn't sleep for weeks, meanwhile these people had two precious children and treated them like dirt. He wanted to make them pay almost as badly as Ron did.

The criminal part of the case was set to go to trial in a few weeks. The civil case was starting after the end of the criminal case. Today Ron, Dr. Arias, and the prosecutor, a lady by the name of Anastasia Lobanov that had angry features and stormy gray eyes, were meeting to prepare him for his testimony.

She entered the office and made herself comfortable. Her dark hair was in a bun so tight he had a headache just looking at her. Her gray suit and black shoes added to the uptight appearance that she had. Dr. Arias obviously thought she was a bitch, but he kept his mouth shut because her sour attitude was put to good use in the court room and he wanted the case to be won.

"Counselor," he greeted, reaching for her hand.

She didn't say anything and didn't shake his hand either.

He put his hand down with an eye roll. Ron suppressed a chuckle.

"Let's get on with this, shall we?"

Ron and Dr. Arias agreed.

For the next three hours, Ron sat there while the bitchy prosecutor asked him questions about his life and the incident with his sister and being locked in the basement. Dr. Arias pretended to be the lawyer that would cross examine him. He played the roll well.

It was intense and at the end of it, he was exhausted both physically and emotionally. When Miss Lobanov left, Dr. Arias took a seat at his desk. "How do you feel about this?"

"It only gets worse in the real courtroom," Ron observed bleakly. "I don't know how well I'm going to handle it."

"Honestly, I don't think the defense is going to cross examine you for an hour and a half. They don't really have anything to contest the evidence with anyway. I mean what are they going to say, that you locked yourself in the basement?"

"You're right I guess."

"Either way it's better safe than sorry. You know what the questions are going to be like and how you're going to answer them, and you know what to expect from the defense more or less, so you should be all set. We'll do this again closer to the actual date of the trial."

"Dr. Arias?"

"Jerry," the older man corrected with a smile.

"Jerry," Ron echoed, smiling back. "Remember I told you I didn't really want to emancipate after all?"

He nodded.

"Will it hurt the civil case?"

"Not at all. One thing has nothing to do with the other."

"Okay," he sighed in relief. "The Possibles have been really good to us. Hana is starting to settle down some, getting comfortable again... she's back to her giggly old self. I figure, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?"

"It's up to you. I mean, it could be better if you could prove that you need the money you're suing for... but I think once they hear what you and little Hana have been through, they won't really care if you need it or not."

"I hope you're right," Ron muttered. He glanced at his watch. Kim would be eating dinner about now. _She must be as exhausted as I am right about now, _he thought.

"Need to be somewhere?"

Ron shook his head. "Just thinking about KP. She's out of therapy now, probably eating dinner."

"I was happy to hear from her after the accident," Jerry said quietly. "I think my wife cried the whole day when we read in the paper that you both were being presumed dead. She's a hero in this town."

Ron just smiled. "She's a hero everywhere."

"You're right." The older man studied Ron for a moment before he spoke. "She cares very deeply for you. When she called me, she was almost in tears explaining your situation."

"I care very deeply for her," Ron said, studying his hands.

"I know," Jerry responded with a knowing smirk.

Ron rolled his eyes as his cell phone rang. "Sorry, 'scuse me a sec. Hello?"

"Hi Ron," Anne's voice answered. "Where are you, dear?"

"At Dr. Arias's office."

"Are you almost done? I can pick you up, I'm on my way home from the pizza place."

"Oh... sure, we're about to wrap up here."

"Okay. Your meeting went well?"

Ron blew his hair out of his face. "As well as it could have I guess."

Anne sensed his exhaustion. "We're going to unwind with movies tonight. Interested?"

"Very," Ron responded, relieved that it would be a relaxing evening. "See you soon."

"Alright."

He pulled the phone away from his ear with another exhausted sigh. Jerry squeezed his shoulder.

* * *

It was Sunday. Lilith, Paige, and Monique came in bright and early to hang out with her and help her with her homework, which she had begun receiving since she could sit longer than ten minutes. She'd caught up on all her back work weeks ago, but these days homework was exhausting for her and she was glad she had help—

"Hi, Sweetheart," a soft voice said from the doorway.

She shoved her homework away immediately. "Oh it's break time. Hi Ronnie," she greeted, arms outstretched.

He chuckled and wrapped her in his arms. "Hi," he whispered into her hair. He pressed his lips to hers lightly before holding her close again.

She melted into him. He smelled extra good today.

Ron pulled back for a moment and was mildly surprised when she moved with him instead of letting him pull back. "KP?"

"You smell good," she mumbled into his hoodie.

He resigned himself to going home without yet another sweatshirt. It was going to be the third one this month. The first time, she'd repossessed his favorite hoodie after Lilith made him buy this stupid body spray named after a lethal weapon. She hadn't let go of him all day and she pouted him into leaving it with her.

The second time it was that she was tired and anxious after her therapy and had fallen asleep on him. She'd latched on to his hoodie and nothing in heaven or on earth could get her to let go of him. He'd slipped out of it and she curled up with it, sleeping peacefully.

Now she had buried her face in his chest, and he could practically hear the contentment coming from her. Not that he minded. He would give her his entire closet if it made her happy. Well, and if it didn't mean he had to walk around in the nude.

He shifted them around so that she could lean on him comfortably before greeting the other girls.

"Hey Ron," Lilith said to him.

Paige, in her typical silent fashion, smiled and waved. He tipped an imaginary hat. "How was that test?"

She shrugged. "Got a B."

Ron laughed out loud. "You were all stressed thinking you were going to fail the damn thing and now you're _shrugging _because you got a B." He shook his head. "Girls. They're all perfectionists."

"Well boys are all Tweebs," Kim mumbled into his chest.

He laughed again. "What was that, Sweetheart?"

"Nuffin."

"Uh huh," he answered, doubt and amusement in his tone.

He kissed her hair, quietly rubbing her back and occasionally pressing his lips to her cheeks or hair while she struck up a new conversation with her friends. His fingers wound their way through hers over and over. His eyes memorized her every expression, his ears recorded every sound she made... her laughter, the way she hummed thoughtfully when she was considering something, the soft sighs of contentment that escaped her lips every time he kissed her.

He could have stayed like this forever.

Kim looked up at him. "You okay?" she whispered.

"Mmhmm," he said with a nod. "Just thinking."

"Thinking what?"

"That you're so damn pretty. It's hardly fair."

She chuckled and rolled her eyes even as her face flooded with pink.

He grinned and kissed both her cheeks, savoring the heat of her blush against his lips.

"Hey, Lover-Boy, we're asking Kim a question and you're distracting her."

"Well excuuuuuse me," he mumbled, kissing her again.

Kim curled into him again, her hand resting lightly on his chest. She could hear his heart pounding away. When they were in the cold, it was one of the last sounds she heard. She remembered thinking how much she liked the sound, how soothing it was to hear him living on as she was dying.

The thought startled her and she jumped. Her skin broke out in goosebumps and tears sprang to her eyes.

"Sweetheart?" Ron's arms wrapped around her, protecting and comforting her. "KP, you're shaking. What happened?"

She leaned into him, willing her tears away. They fell anyway.

"Sweetheart you're scaring me."

Lilith and Monique watched, their eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Kim? What's upsetting you?"

Paige, who was usually one step ahead of everyone, seemed mildly horrified.

"What'd you see, Paige? What just scared her?" Lilith demanded.

Paige simply stood, shoving Ron's arms out of the way and wrapping her arms around her friend. After a long moment, she spoke. "She's not scared... not really. She just... when she leaned on you just now, she heard your heartbeat, and it reminded her of..." she cleared her throat, her own tears brimming in her eyes. "I could see it in her mind... it was dark, and she thought she was going to die. And you were with her, and she was thinking that it felt good that she was dying hearing the sound of you staying alive."

Within seconds four pairs of arms were around Kim, squeezing her so hard she had to cough a little to get them to let go.

All but one did. His heartbeat pounded on, and this time she thought that it was beautiful, and that this time she wasn't dying... she had the privilege of hearing it forever.

"I'm okay," she breathed after what seemed like an eternity. Monique and Lilith breathed a sigh of relief. Paige smiled, dipping her head slightly in a nod, and Kim knew that she'd experienced with her the small victory of overcoming her memory of that night.

Ron pressed his lips into her hair. "I love you," he murmured.

She smiled up at him and he happily traded the scent of her shampoo for the feeling of her lips on his.

A pillow sailed in their direction and Kim blocked it, never breaking their kiss.

Lilith huffed. "The rest of us need boyfriends too," she grumbled.

Kim wondered about that. Was she really his girlfriend? They had never officially labeled their relationship.

Ron kissed a spot just below her ear and she shivered. What was she wondering about again...?

Later on, after the girls had left them to their devices for the evening, Ron broke away from her lips with a sweet peck. "Can we talk?"

She smiled up at him. She really just wanted to kiss him again but if he wanted to talk, she would listen to whatever he had to say.

He flushed lightly. "It's just... we do all of this..." he motioned to her hand still in his hair, and to his hand which was still caressing the soft skin on her side just above her hip. He was pretty sure it was his favorite spot in the universe...

He digressed in his mind, clearing his throat. "I never even asked you out. I mean, you get all jealous of all the girls or whatever and I always tell you it's no big deal... but as far as they are concerned, I'm still single. I'd like to remedy that."

She bit her lip.

"KP... will you be my girlfriend?"

She just grinned and kissed him again.

* * *

When he walked into her room a week and a half later, she was standing with crutches by the door.

"Ready to go? I've had these since yesterday. I like them better than the walkers and stuff."

He tried really hard not to gawk at her... and failed. She was wearing those tight... yoga pants or whatever, and this off-shoulder shirt that ended just below her rib cage, with a tank top under. Her hair was up in a messy bun, with a few strands still laying on her neck. She looked energized and happy. And she was standing. Even with the damn crutches she looked like a model. He didn't understand how she did it but he was suddenly very grateful that he'd made their thing official... he didn't want anyone getting the impression that she was single.

She cautiously stepped forward, using the crutches to maintain her balance. His arms shot out instantly anyway, ready to catch her. She took the opportunity and leaned into him, pressing her lips to his and catching him by surprise.

Oh but just because he was surprised did not mean he _minded_. He liked the crutches better too. He could hold her much more easily and he could tell it was more comfortable than bending over the walking thing.

And she felt really good today. Really _really _good. Better than usual.

A throat cleared obnoxiously, and he reluctantly released her lips, internally cursing whoever was interrupting his proper greeting.

Kim grinned up at him and then at her therapist, who he found was the one guilty of _greetus_ _interruptus._

He followed them down the hall and admittedly, he was impressed at the handle she had on her crutches in only a day. She was in much higher spirits than usual. It made him happy to see her that way.

When they reached the workout area, she immediately ditched the crutches in favor of a chair. They were still new after all, and she was tired. He sat next to her and kissed her temple. "When you're ready we'll start," he said quietly.

"Actually while you're getting ready," Miss Jill interrupted, "I just want to say, and this is totally unofficial and off the record, so you didn't hear it from me... the doctors are very impressed with your progress. They are thinking we can you know, put you on parole from here to a week or two, depending on how you take to the crutches."

Kim's eyes widened, as did her smile. "Parole?"

Miss Jill grinned. "You'll get to go home soon, but you'll have to check back with us a couple times a week, for check-ups and out-patient therapy, so we can get you off the crutches."

Ron felt his chest inflate with happiness. She could come home! He had to tell Anne... and Josh. And Dr. Arias. Well, Dr. Arias was actually important, because if KP came home before the trial started, Dr. Arias could maybe use her testimony. And because she was Kim Possible, everyone would believe what she had to say.

That said a lot about her character. It was nice to know that he wasn't deluded, blinded by infatuation into thinking that she was perfect. Either that or the entire planet was suffering from Kim-Possible-is-awesome delusions. He preferred to think that it was that she had such a huge personality and impact that everyone was simply helpless against her charm, brilliance, and kindness.

Himself included. Well he had it worse. He was a guy... and on top of being one of the sweetest people he'd ever met, she was drop-dead gorgeous, stunning, sexy, crazy beautiful—and asking him something?

Oh he zoned out. He was too distracted by the way her—

"Ron! Quit zoning out and help me!"

"Sorry, sorry," he mumbled. "I, uh, lost count. Sorry, KP, Sweetheart."

"Eight," she said dryly. "What's up your butt?"

"Um... nothing. Don't worry about it." He flushed bright red.

She smirked at him. "Uh-huh."

"Ready for the next set?" he asked through gritted teeth.

She eyed him speculatively. "Maybe. I think I need a break. Sit with me?"

"Of course," he said immediately, helping her into a seat and sitting cross-legged in front of her. He kissed her bad knee before rubbing it gently. "How do you feel?"

"I'm great," she said happily. "Come sit up here with me."

He did as he was ordered, and she curled into him. Her hand was on his chest again. And her lips were dangerously close to his neck... and maybe it was time for them to continue their exercises—

She totally had him pegged. She was pretty sure he'd been staring at her butt. And he was totally hyperventilating when her public displays of affection seemed like they were going to get racy. He was zoned out because she'd turned him on. Hmm. She must have missed that part. All that happened today was that she walked to therapy with crutches instead of the usual elderly walking aids. Whatever. All she knew was that she was going to have to explore this in more detail... later.

Her knee was starting to cramp. She gritted her teeth and pushed herself through the last four repetitions of the exercise she was doing before Ron lead her to the table where they would finish off the evening. They were going to do this weird thing to her knee today... it involved scratching...? Scraping. That's what it was called. They were going to try this... scraping thing.

Miss Jill applied some shea butter to her knees, massaging it in gently. Then she got this plastic thing and started scraping off the shea butter stuff. It was sort of painful. She said the idea was to break up the scar tissue inside her knee so that it would loosen up a bit. She gritted her teeth and told herself that at the end of this, she would be flexible again.

Ron distracted her with inconsequentials. Josh finally reported his parents yesterday, and was staying with his aunt in Lowerton. His aunt had an extra car that he could use, but it was like thirteen different levels of old and damaged. The Tweebs were helping him fix it up. He was also applying to MAGIC for the fall.

He wanted to meet Ron's friends. She asked him a while back who it was exactly that he hung out with. He had just grinned. "Oh, all people you know. Zita, Paige, Lilith, Moni..."

"All single girls," was her disgruntled response.

He'd just rolled his eyes.

Now he was telling her about the newest addition to the crew, a shy noob named Lexi. He said she was cute, and a lot of the football guys were into her. She did not return their interest. Paige had laughed at something Lexi thought, but refused to share it with the rest of them. Later on, she privately told Ron and Lilith that Lexi thought the football guys smelled really bad. That got her cool points in Lilith's book, and she was easily accepted into the group thereafter. Another guy named Justin, last name Case, which Kim agreed was hilarious, had started hanging out with them too.

"You can't laugh at my name, Ron Stoppable," Justin had said to him with a pout. And I heard your girlfriend has one of those names too!"

"Kim Possible," was Ron's proud answer. She smiled the rest of the week when Ron told her that.

"Apparently there are a bunch of us with the names," Ron was saying when she tuned him back in. "We should make our own club. You, me, Justin, and this kid everyone calls Vince. His real name is Gavin Vincible. How cool would that be?"

"And what would this club be called?" she asked with a smirk as she laid back on the table so that Jill could do her hip.

"I dunno. Oh, and this other guy, his name is Oren and his last name is Gamy."

"Oren Gamy? I think I feel bad for him."

"Me too. He can be the guy who didn't get into the club because his name isn't cool enough."

She just chuckled. "I thought you didn't care about what was cool?"

"You know I'm just kidding, Sweetheart," Ron chuckled. "But think about it: the exclusivity that comes with having a name like this is pretty frickin cool. We should all become hall patrol too! We could be Team Possible's Hallway Patrol. That would be an awesome club name by the way."

She just shook her head. "You're silly."

"You like me silly."

"I really do," she grinned. "So now who is it that sits at our tables?"

"Bonnie, Marcella, Tara, Zita, Moni, Paige, the other cheerleaders Sarah and Piper, Justin and Lexi, and me. And next year, hopefully, Josh. Oh and some of the football guys that are into Lexi sit at the end of the table too," he added with a chuckle.

"Sounds like I've been replaced."

He stared his hands, his eyes tracing their entangled fingers. "No," he said quietly. "Your seat at the table is next to mine, and it's always empty." His eyes filled briefly with anger. "Well... Zita and Lilith made it clear that that seat is off limits after Bonnie tried to sit in it."

Kim rolled her eyes. "It's just a seat."

"Either you're much, _much_ too nice or you're blissfully ignorant of the hierarchy that begins with your seat," he said with a chuckle. "Your seat is in the middle of the table. You can see everyone and talk to everyone from there. The farther out you sit, the more isolated it is. And in the unwritten rules of MAGIC, I guess the farther out you sit, the less cool points you have." He shrugged. "Bonnie has apparently envied your place at the table for ages."

Kim rolled her eyes. "So what, I'm like the queen of the table or something?"

Ron shrugged.

"Tell everyone to sit wherever the hell they want. This is ridiculous."

He smiled. "No, I think I like it the way it is. You rule the school, next year you can switch it up yourself... unless the new seating arrangement puts Bonnie at the end of the table... far, _far _away from us." He smiled when she laughed, kissing her forehead. "Truth is, as long as I get to sit next to you, I don't care where we sit."

"Of course," she said with a smile. "And Ron?"

"Hmm?"

"You missed," she said, pulling him down for a kiss.


	12. Chapter 11

Anne put her keys on the table and sighed. She was tired. Her stress level had been through the roof for months. First, Kimmie's accident. There wasn't anything like thinking that your only daughter had died horribly. Then they found her alive, and she spent those days intubated in ICU... she read her daughter's charts every single day. All of them. She didn't care that it was against hospital policy to read a relative's charts or whatever the rule was... she just needed to know first hand exactly what was going on. She was a doctor; she dealt with medical information, not the watered down, dummed down, patronizing way doctors had to explain things to others.

"Say it to me straight," Ron had said.

She vowed after Kim's hospitalization that she would never patronize any of her patients.

She'd had a follow-up appointment, a eight-hour emergency procedure, and a pre-operation consultation today. All in all a very long day. She'd been late to pick up Hana and the twins, but Ron happily picked up his sister and the twins, brought them home, and apparently cooked and cleaned.

_Enjoy your food -Ron_ read a sticky-note on the microwave. Her plate sat inside, cling-wrapped.

She closed the microwave and sighed. That had become a routine these days. On the days when Ron wasn't with Kim, he would pick up Hana and the twins, do the majority if not all of the cooking, and clean the kitchen and dining room, leaving the areas looking virtually unused. Then he disappeared upstairs for the evening, quietly doing his homework or playing with his sister. He always made himself scarce except to help with a chore or some other necessity.

The scars of his abuse were now clear to Anne. The boy didn't speak to her or James unless they spoke to him first. He refused to call James anything other than Dr. Possible. He kept his eyes lowered unless he was explicitly directed to look up. He never sat _with_ the family; he would press himself into a corner of the couch, or of the room, or whatever. Trying to be invisible. Trying to avoid hurtful situations.

However, outside the house, Ron was as outgoing and happy as any other boy his age. She wondered if he put on some kind of front for his peers, or if he did the things he did at home out of habit. He didn't seem afraid of them, but he still had an incredibly difficult time asking for anything. A few weeks before, Anne began to notice that when asked about lunch money or food, he would quickly decline, giving some excuse about not needing it or not being hungry. When she finally cornered him and asked what was going on, he reluctantly confessed that he gave all the cash he had for the week to Josh, who had been locked out of his room by his rotten parents, leaving him without his wallet with his lunch tickets, and without a place to sleep or food to eat.

The next day Anne handed him two hundred dollars in cash, telling him that half of it was for his friend. His eyes had widened and misted, and he whispered a thanks around the lump in his throat. It was then she realized that he gave and gave, but he was not used to people being nice to him. In fact, he was used to nothing but cruel words, stress, and chores.

She wondered what she was going to do about him. He needed help, but he said he did not want to talk to a therapist. Kim seemed to help. With her he was completely at ease. Maybe when she was finally home things would be easier for him.

"You're thinking too hard," his voice echoed in the kitchen, seeming a thousand times louder because of the silence.

She turned to face him with a smile. "I was just coming to see you."

The smile fell off his face. "Um... why? is—uh, is everything okay?"

"Relax," she chuckled. "Kimmie's fine and you aren't in trouble."

She felt the tension leave him more than she saw it. "Oh... okay," he breathed. "What's up?"

"It's... it's you, Ron. Your walking on eggshells around here is stressful."

He stared out the window. "What do you mean?" His voice was completely flat and emotionless.

"What is it going to take for you to realize that James and I care about you? We won't hurt you. We won't hurt Hana. We only want you to be okay."

A slight smile tugged at his lips. "I know."

"Then why...?"

"I don't know any other way," he interrupted, his voice rough. "In my family, the rule was that I was the kid, my job was to shut the fuck up and make myself scarce. I didn't... _deserve..._ to be—"

"Ron, stop."

He looked at her then, and she vaguely noticed that his eyes were the color of a jar of honey in the sun. He was a handsome young man; she could see why her Kimmie was so taken with him.

"You do not deserve how they treated you. From what I understand, you _know_ that."

He nodded.

"Quit acting like you asked for it. You were... _are_... a child. You didn't ask for a damn thing. Okay?"

"Not a child," he grumbled.

She chuckled. "You're still a kid. In comparison to being an adult, anyway. I know... I know you grew up much too early... but you want to try and live out the rest of your teenage years in peace... then _live_. Be loud, leave your socks in the living room, forget about your sister's laundry, hang out with your friends until obscene hours of the night... be a kid."

He grinned. "You're the only person in the world that willingly asks people to leave their socks in the living room."

"Now don't actually—you know what? Never mind the socks thing." She shook her head and chuckled. "You know what I mean."

"I do." He gave her a genuine smile. "Thank you. I... I will try."

She smirked. "Preferably before Kimmie comes home. She won't like what she sees anymore than I do... and you know she'll be more vocal about it."

Ron just rolled his eyes. "You found your food?"

"Yes, Ron. Thank you."

He crossed the kitchen in three strides and wrapped her in a bone crushing hug. "No... thank _you_."

When she finally caught her breath, she smiled.

* * *

"Honey?" her husband's voice, still rough from sleep, was a welcome relief to her. "You alright?"

She nodded, pushing the covers back and hanging her feet over the side of the bed. She heard the click of the lamp as he turned it on. Her eyes would have registered the light if her face hadn't been buried in her hands. Her body shook as she fought for control of her emotions. It felt so _real_.

His hands gently rubbed her back and shoulders. "You haven't had one of those in a while."

"It was a long day today," she mumbled, drawing a deep breath.

He tugged her back down next to him, and she curled into him, his scent soothing her further. She let him wrap his arms around her. "Talk to me, Annie," he said into her hair, his hands still soothing her back.

"It was about Kimmie," she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut against the tears.

"She's okay, honey. She's okay now."

"I know... I know that, I just couldn't stop thinking about the whole thing today... I had an emergency procedure. A little boy about six years old, had a massive stroke that no one could explain... kids that have that kind of brain trauma and have to be operated rarely survive. Seeing those parents... the fear in their eyes, the grief once they understood that it was very likely that their son would die... it was hard."

"You did the best you could, you always do."

"I saved him, Jimmy." She smiled up at him through her tears.

He kissed her forehead. "I know."

"If it—"

"Whatever you're going to say, it didn't happen that way," he interrupted. "Don't torture yourself with ifs. It's been four and a half months. Kimmie is coming home. She's okay."

"I know. Like I said, stressful day." She chuckled ruefully.

He turned off the light and pulled her close. "Sleep," he said softly.

"Goodnight, Jimmy," she mumbled into his chest.

"I love you, Annie."

"I love you too."

He brushed her cheek. "Sweet dreams."

* * *

"Oh, Come on in, Lilith." Anne was surprised to find Kim's best friend on her doorstep. "What's going on?"

"Um... just wondering if Ron's around."

"Oh he's due any minute, come in, make yourself at home."

"Thanks, Dr. Possible."

Anne smiled and went back to preparing her vegetables.

Ron slipped into the house through the back door five minutes later, making a beeline for his room.

"Ron, wait."

He skidded to a stop. "Lilith? What are you—I mean, what's up?"

"Can we talk?"

"Um... yeah. Come on upstairs, I guess."

"Do you mind if we use Kim's room?" He raised an eyebrow and she hurried to explain. "I mean, it would probably be less awkward for you than us being alone in your room... I mean, I don't want Kim mad at us." She cleared her throat. "Besides... I kind of like her room."

He shrugged. "Um... okay, I guess. Anne?"

"Fine by me," she said, waving them off. "Just don't touch her stuff, you know how she gets. Dinner is in about twenty minutes, okay?"

The both nodded, and Lilith led the way upstairs. At the door to her room, there was a weird panel. Lilith pressed her hand to it and a robotic lady's voice said, "Lilith Anderson. Handprint. Acknowledged. Welcome. Lilith's settings. Active." She wasted no time in pulling a stuffed toy from Kim's display and making herself comfortable on a large blueish beanbag couch on the far wall. Ron looked around, cataloging everything in the room. He'd noticed Kim's prized Cuddlebuddies, one of which Lilith was squeezing the life out of. Her room was in calm, pastel colors, accented with slightly deeper tones of purple. Her bed was big and comfy looking. Her desk was empty now, since she did her homework in the hospital. He imagined her surrounded by books, typing at her laptop furiously at that desk, maybe with a pencap between her lips. Yes, she would be right at home here.

Her other desk was almost scary. The walls on that corner of the room were stark white, with dark cork boards covered in what he supposed were things having to do with her cases. A navy blue area rug sectioned off the space. A stainless steel and glass desk held a printer/fax machine.

"The computer is in the glass. I tried to use it once, but it tipped Kim off. She was so pissed at me... she lectured me for like an hour and a half about how much I could go to jail for even looking at it wrong, because of all the classified info."

Ron chuckled. "Yeah. She is super picky about the classified stuff."

"Apparently not that much."

"What do you mean?" His voice was flat.

"I mean, I know that you know what happened to her last winter."

He was silent.

"You do know, don't you? What did she tell you?!"

"It's classified."

"You sound like her too," she said, slightly irritated.

"She told me those things in confidence, and we were _dying_."

"Ron—"

"What did you want to talk to me about?" he interrupted, effectively closing the topic for conversation.

She squeezed the Cuddlebuddy harder. "Um... I just... does it get any easier?"

"What?" he asked, perplexed.

"I mean... do you still think about it? The avalanche, I mean."

"All the time," he said quietly after a long, heavy silence.

"We thought you two were dead."

"So I've heard," he said dryly. "You know, it sort of irks me that everyone gave up on her. She wasn't even dead yet and they sort of just assumed that nobody could ever survive something like that."

Lilith tilted her head. "They gave up on her?" She echoed.

"Yes. Or were you not there when they told everyone we were dead?"

"If _we_ were dead, why do you say they gave up on _her_?"

"Because that's what happened," he snapped.

"And you? It doesn't _irk_ you that they gave up on you?"

"Not really."

"Why?"

"Not important."

"You _are_ important... what do you think Kim would go through is she survived and you didn't?"

He stared at his hands.

"I just want to know what you do when... when the thought of losing her is... too much."

He sat down on Kim's bed, and his fingers grazed the soft material of the duvet. "I go see her," he whispered.

"But you see her all the time," Lilith answered, confused.

He gave her a sad smile. "I know."

* * *

She was finally acing this place. She could walk and balance herself on the crutches easily enough, and stairs were no longer dangerous, even though they were a bit difficult.

Ron, the Tweebs, Moni, Paige, Lilith, and her parents were all here. The guys helped pack up her stuff while mom and Moni helped her into her clothes and makeup. She felt almost normal. Lilith grinned at her. "Your victory outfit sucks."

"Fuck you," Kim muttered, sticking out her tongue at Lilith.

"Not in _that_ outfit," Lilith replied, her smile angelic.

Kim glared, playfully.

Anne simply rolled her eyes. She didn't know people that genuinely loved each other could be that antagonistic until she first saw Lilith and Kim interact. Those two were something else. The first time she heard them talking to each other like that, she'd been alarmed and gone to investigate. Expecting to find her daughter completely nuclear, she tripped when she saw them both laughing instead. Holding their sides, cracking up.

She would never understand them.

The girls continued bickering back and forth as Monique finished applying some mascara to Kim's eyelashes, and a pink lipgloss to her lips.

"All set," she finally announced.

"Thanks Moni," she said with a smile. "Lets get out of here... _please_ get me out of here."

She finally stepped out of the bathroom and the boys and her dad turned to look at her.

Ron's jaw dropped, and he had to work to close his mouth. He didn't say anything, he simply gawked. She flushed lightly at his reaction.

They said their goodbyes and thanked all of the therapists and nurses that helped Kim with her recovery as Dr. Possible pulled the car around.

She got in with Ron and Lilith's help and finally, she was free. She smiled all the way to the restaurant where they were headed to celebrate.

Ron pulled out her chair for her and helped her into her chair before taking her crutches and setting them aside. "I'm glad you're here," he said into her ear, kissing her temple.

She smiled at him and he squeezed her hand. He didn't let go of it until their food arrived.

Paige, who had been quiet the entire evening, suddenly smirked. "Lilith has an announcement."

Lilith grinned at her. "Thank you, Paige." she raised her glass of soda. "I'd like to propose a toast."

Kim rolled her eyes. "Are you serious right now?"

"Shut up and listen, Possible," was Lilith's response. "So, Kim managed to escape with her life, most of her health, and her virginity _yet again—_"

"My what?" she echoed, her eyes widening.

Dr. Possible choked on his wine, coughing and sputtering. His wife shook her head, chuckling.

Ron's face was unreadable.

"Oh you are so not going to be my maid of honor when we get married if this is how you do toasts," Kim muttered.

Ron bit back a laugh. Then his mind registered what she said. When _we_ get married?

Lilith grinned at everyone's reactions. "I love doing that to you guys. Your reactions are priceless (for everything else, there's Mastercard). And I better be your maid of honor, or else I'll give you a taste of your own medicine with your cheerleading-kung-fu-can-o-teen-hero-flavored-kickass."

"You wish. I've got one leg and I can _still_ kick your ass."

"Stop ruining my toast!"

"You did that all on your own," Ron said, trying hard not to laugh.

"Shut up Stoppable! Anyway, I just want to say, welcome back to the land of the living, and we're expecting you back at school before the Queen Bonnie decides to take over something that isn't her appearance... and we love you," she whispered, cutting the sarcasm and jokes. "We love you, and we missed you, and we can't live without you. We're... really glad you're back."

Ron raised his glass too. "Agreed. The world is a dull, boring place without you in it, Miss Possible. Well, at least MAGIC is a dull, boring place without you. I'm glad you're coming home."

The rest of the table smiled and murmured agreements, clinking their glasses with each other.

Kim blinked back tears.

"I knew you could do it," Ron said in her ear.

"I couldn't have done it without you," she said back. "All of you. Thank you for helping me, for supporting me, for pushing me, for telling my grumpy ass to stop complaining, for keeping me going... Ron, you saved me. I wouldn't have survived if you hadn't been there. And you were with me afterwards, when you didn't have to be, showing your love for me in every moment. Through the ice, you were my fire, and through the fire, you were my shield. I need you, and I love you, and I'm glad... _so _glad... that I found you. Paige, Lilith, Moni... Mom and Dad... you all are a support system unlike any other one in the whole world. Thank you for helping me make it here. It's good to be back in the land of the living, as Lilith so eloquently put it, and it's good to be back with the people that love and care about me the most. You guys were with me through thick and thin... I missed you guys..."

"We missed you too, Kimmie," Dr. Possible answered, his voice gruff with emotion. "More than you can imagine."

Wade beeped her. "Hey Kim."

"Hey Wade!" She answered with a brilliant smile, pressing the pad of her index finger gently to her face, wiping away the tears she shed during her speech. "What's sitchin'?"

"Oh everything's quiet. Just wanted to join the party. I heard you're out of rehab."

"Yup. Start school again on Monday."

"Congrats," Wade said sincerely.

"Thanks."

"Oh it's no big. Hey, don't turn your Kimmunicator off, okay? I'm upgrading some stuff. I'll let you know when I'm done."

"Okay. Thanks."

He did his signature point and wink. "Any time. Wade, out."

She hit the disconnect button and smiled as she put the device back in her bag.

"Who's up for dessert?" Anne asked.

"Dessert makes you fat," Monique mumbled.

"Oh please! Today is an important day. A slice of cheesecake will not kill you."

"I'm with the freak on this one," Ron said, draping his arm across the back of Kim's chair. His fingers lightly brushed her neck and she shivered.

"Red velvet cheesecake for me," Kim said. "I'm going to be getting plenty of exercise... I'm not worried about being fat."

"Oh alright. One piece of cheesecake. Only because you can't come to the Cheesecake Factory and not have any cheesecake."

"I agree. It's like a law. Just like going to Bueno Nacho and not having Diablo Sauce."

"Eww, Diablo Sauce."

"Hey, it could be worse," Ron defended. "They discontinued the five-alarm stuff. Something about a class action lawsuit having to do with ulcers." He shook his head. "Bunch of babies can't handle a little heat..."

Kim shook her head. "I'm just... going to order my cheesecake."

He brushed her cheek with his nose in a sort of eskimo kiss before kissing her temple. "What, you can't handle a little heat, babe?"

She smirked. "You I can handle."

"We'll see about that," he said deviously. "Ron Stoppable is hotter than any five-alarm sauce mere mortals can formulate."

"This is true," Kim said thoughtfully.

Lilith and Paige rolled their eyes. "You two are ridiculous."

Ron gave her a disgruntled look and picked up the menu. "Are we ordering cheesecake or what?"

* * *

"It was good to see Kimmie having fun with her friends."

"Do you feel better now?" James asked his wife. "I mean, is it easier?"

"Yeah. She's home," she said with a happy sigh of relief.

James shook his head. "That Lilith is a riot."

Anne laughed. "Oh please, you know you're just glad Kimmie's still a virgin."

"Can we not talk about... that? Please?"

"Admit it."

"When was she going to lose it, anyway? While she had a broken hip and was buried in fifteen feet of snow? Or while she was fighting for her life in intensive care?"

"Or maybe with that young man she used to bring around. Eric Fletcher."

"Ugh, I never liked him." He frowned.

"You did. You'll never admit it though."

"I also liked when Kimmie-cub dumped him on his—"

"To be honest, I did too."

His head jerked up in surprise. "Really? Why?"

"Because all Dr. Fletcher could talk about was how Kimmie was so good for his son's reputation and his image and his well-being and such. I hated it. Dr. Fletcher finally fucked off when Kimmie broke up with him."

James gasped. "Dr. Possible, such foul language!"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh please."

"I can think of better things for you to do with that mouth of yours than using four letter words."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"Yes," he smirked, reaching for her. "Really."

* * *

—**End Part 1—**

* * *

**so, there's your title. since the person who suggested that title was my awesome beta sidekick Levi, and he's already read most of this, i'll put some teasers out in a little while. **

**thanks for your time, for your reviews, all that good stuff. Disclaimers, announcements, and other important info to come at the end of the series. Part 2 will be out soon. **


	13. teasers, as promised

**here's a look at some stuff I have planned for the next two parts of this story. Part two will be called "A Kiss in the Rain" and part three will be called "Hell and High Water"**

**cheers,  
~temporary insanity**

* * *

"Welcome back, Possible," she said with a sneer as she reached her foot out. Her stiletto heel tangled in Kim's crutch and sent her hurtling towards the ground.

* * *

_August 13, 2012  
3:28pm_

_Cupcake,_

_If you're reading this, I'm probably already dead. I know you're really fucked up right now if that's true. I know you came to care for me like I did for you. You're my best friend and my sister, and I'm proud of how far you've come since your accident. You and your boy, Ron, have recovered well. You talk about him all the time... I wonder if you even notice how often you're talking or thinking about him. I know you love him, and I'm so happy that you have him. I dunno where people go when they die, and I won't be around to tell you, but wherever I end up, I'm gonna miss you like hell, Princess. You made the last year of my life worth living. Thank you._

* * *

Kim smirked. "Ooh, Lili's got a crush."

"Shut the fuck _up,_ Possible! I do not like him! He's... he's..."

"He's got pretty eyes and he's the first person that's every been able to successfully make you be anything other than rude in the past six years."

"Well, he did have nice eyes," she mumbled. Then she glared at Kim. "That doesn't mean anything!"

* * *

A loud bang caused them both to jump. _Gunshots_, Kim thought, launching herself at Dr. Chen and sending both to the ground as a succession of explosions rang out and shattered glass rained on them. Her hip protested to the fall sharply, and she gritted her teeth. People screamed in terror until it was over. Then, silence.

* * *

"What's the sitch, Wade?" Kim said with a pleasant smile.

Ron glared at her. "Hold the _sitch_ for just a second. Kim... you're not going on any missions right now! And I'm not above hurting your feelings to keep you from getting yourself killed."

* * *

Kim's parents waved her off, and she wound her way around the tables toward where she thought she saw the restrooms earlier. She sighed in relief when she found them and was about to pull the door open when a hand stopped the door.

"We need to talk."

* * *

"_How dare you_ accuse me of not caring about our daughter?! I gave birth to her, remember? I carried her inside me for nine months, and then I laid there in that same hospital, in labor, for thirteen hours before she came into this world. _I _brought her into this world, James Timothy Possible. I'm well aware of who she is! That you can sit there and tell me that I don't care is hurtful and shameless, and _fuck you_ for saying that to me!"

* * *

Pansy gave her a brilliant smile, and then the guard came to escort her back to her cell.

Four days after Pansy turned the files over to Kim, she was found in her cell, dead.

* * *

"What am I supposed to tell them? 'Sorry I didn't come to class, I'm investigating a double-homicide that makes 'homeland security implications' sound like I'm investigating a bar-fight so I'll be a little busy for a while' yeah, I'm sure that will go really well."

"I'm sure it would," Ron says with a chuckle. "You're sixteen, and you're investigating a crime that—"

"Yeah well, welcome to my life."

"I wish you meant that, KP," Ron said quietly, standing and heading for the door. "Call me when you want me to pick you up."

* * *

"I don't think you understood me, officer," she said, and her voice was not sweet anymore. "Someone is out there destroying a project that has taken years of research and millions of government dollars, and is now targeting the people working there. I got shot at today, so did the _director of this project_ so what I'm going to do is solve my case before someone else gets hurt or worse. You're going to step off and go back to your donut shop."

* * *

"Bravo, Miss Possible. Well done. I guess I will have to do this the old fashioned way—oof!" He grunted as her fist made hard contact with his gut. Her foot kicked something out of his hand, which she realized was some sort of taser. She tried to run, but his hands wrapped around her throat and squeezed.

* * *

"Can you find me a ride, Wade?"

"KP you can't be serious," Ron protested.

"I'll just be checking a lot of math over the next couple days, and then Wade's gunna check my math. Nothing bad will happen Ron."

"Fine, if you're so sure nothing bad will happen, I'm coming with you." That earned him a flesh-melting glare.

"Absolutely not."

* * *

The lawyer glared back at her for a long time. "No further questions," he said at last, defeated.

She smirked at his back as he walked back to his seat.

The prosecutor smirked at him too. Kim grinned at her. The mean girls were in the house now, and Ron was the hottie no one was allowed to fuck with. The Stoppables were about to get burned. Bad.

* * *

"I am wondering one thing. Did you... get with me because of the avalanche? Did you ever really like me? Or are you just with me because..."

Angry tears coursed down Kim's face. "Asshole! How could you ask me that?!"

"Because _I _love _you,_ Kim! I _love _you!"

* * *

**hope you enjoyed the teasers. More stuff will be out soon.**


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